Ali Farka Touré: Red Album (LP)

Remastered from the original tapes in 2004 for release on World Circuit, this classic world music album reappears on vinyl for the first time since its original release in 1984. In 1982, the great Malian singer-songwriter and guitarist Ali Farka Touré, then in the early years of his recording career, teamed up with the brilliant percussionist Hama Sankare. Together, they traveled across northern Mali from a base in Ali's home village of Niafunké, honing a collection of new songs. When they were ready to record, they followed the Niger River as it meandered through the desert to the capital Bamako. In one afternoon, the great sound engineer Boubacar Traore captured these eight great performances with two microphones: two voices so close you thought they were doubles, a guitar, and Hama's calabash percussion making its first appearance on record. The album, featuring some of Touré's most popular songs, was released under his own name, with no cover text, just an enigmatic group photo on the cover. Due to the color of the original sleeve, it became known as the "Red" album.