To close out February This Island Earth celebrates Black History Month with a musical trip from Mississippi to Mali and beyond...
| Slither (Theme) Annoushka Shankar & Karsh Kale - Breathing Under Water - Angel |
| It's been said that the difference between the Blues and Gospel Music is that with Gospel Music the singer is singing to God and with the Blues the singer is singing to the devil... |
| Beyt Biedh - Chant Blanc Ensemble El-Moukhadrami - Songs of the Griots - Institute du Monde Arabe |
| Yali (War Song) Anonymous Tuareg Elder - Secret Museum of Mankind: Music of North Africa 1925-1948 - Yazoo |
| Ayni Yana - Moi, Mes Yeux Ensemble El-Moukhadrami - Songs of the Griots - Institute du Monde Arabe |
| I'm Glad My Mother Teached Me to Pray Robert Pete Williams - Country Spirituals |
| The straight and natural blues with an eye toward the source... West Africa and then the archetypal Malian blues man - Boubacar Traore |
| Njarka Corey Harris - Mississippi to Mali - Rounder |
| Big Mama's Door Alvin Youngblood Hart - Big Mama's Door - Sony |
| Kevalle Boubacar Traore - Kar Kar - Sterne's Music |
| Senegalese musician Gue'el Kumba came to the American south - to Oxford Mississippi and has combined both cultures. |
| Bafal Afrissippi - Fulani Journey - Knock Down South |
| Singha Afrissippi - Alliance - Hill Country Records |
| Njulli / Fulani Journey Afrissippi - Fulani Journey - Knock Down South |
| In the same way Ali Farka Toure brought West African Blues to the world, Tinariwen has brought Desert Blues to the world. Here are four tracks from three of their four recordings. |
| Amassakoul "N" Tenere Tinariwen - Amassakoul - World Village |
| Toumast Tinariwen - Aman Iman (Water is Life) - World Village |
| Chert Boghassa Tinariwen - Amassakoul - World Village |
| Tahult In (My Situations) Tinariwen - Imidiwan: Companions - Outside Music |
| Here are two other Desert Blues bands... |
| Ronde Etran Finatawa - Introducing Etran Finatawa - World Music Network |
| Aitma Tartit - Ichichila - World Network |
| Tekana Etran Finatawa - Desert Crossroads - Riverboat |
| The late great Ali Farka Toure brings West African Blues to the world... and his oldest son - Vieux Farka Toure |
| Ledi Coumbe Ali Farka Toure - Savane - World Circuit |
| Hani Ali Farka Toure - Radio Mali - Rykodisc |
| Cherie Le Vieux Farka Toure - Fondo - Six Degrees |
| Here are a few more African musicians who have achieved notoriety because of Toure's success around the planet... |
| Almaryood Abdel Garir Salim - Desert Blues Vol.1 - Ambiance du Sahara - Network |
| Saa Sagni Oumou Sangare - Desert Blues Vol.1 - Ambiances du Sahara - Network |
| Anunka Ben Lobi Traore - Desert Blues Vol.2 - Reves - World Network |
| Ashabab Ydie Shabab Aldual Didi Mint Abba - Desert Blues Vol.1 - Ambiances du Sahara - Netwrok |
| And more... |
| Barma Soussandi Majid Bekkas - Mogador - Igloo |
| Tenalle Chegret Tinariwen - Imidiwan: Companions - Outside Music |
| Sarama Vieux Farka Toure - Fondo - Six Degrees |
| Ere Tasfata Adounia Tinariwen - Imidiwan: Companions - Outside Music |
| Mali Vieux Farka Toure - Fondo - Six Degrees |
| Imidiwan Afrik Temdam Tinariwen - Imidiwan: Companions - Outside Music |
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