March/April 2009

Music: Welcome to Mali

Amadou & Mariam

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia embody eclecticism at its liveliest. Following 2005’s Dimanche à Bamako, recorded with Spanish collagist Manu Chao, this bracing album from the blind Malian couple gracefully blends everything from traditional instruments like kora and balafon to cellos and trombones, generating hypnotic, danceable layers of sound. Highlights include the synth-driven “Sabali,” produced by Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz), the sexy R&B of “Je Te Kiffe,” and “Masiteladi,” featuring Amadou & Mariam’s gospel-style vocal exchanges, spiky guitar riffs, and a deep-funk groove. One of the pleasures of Welcome to Mali is listening for the surprising ingredients the band adds to its endlessly flexible songs.

DECEMBER IS MAKE OR BREAK

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

The December 31 deadline is closing in fast. To reach our $400,000 goal, we need readers who’ve never given before to join the ranks of MoJo donors. And we need our steadfast supporters to give again—any amount today.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do.

That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

DECEMBER IS MAKE OR BREAK

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

The December 31 deadline is closing in fast. To reach our $400,000 goal, we need readers who’ve never given before to join the ranks of MoJo donors. And we need our steadfast supporters to give again—any amount today.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do.

That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate