Flavorwire

We’ve been saddened to read about the recent political upheavals in the northeast of Mali, a country that’s known more than its fair share of political turmoil over the years. Clearly writing about the intricacies of Malian politics is beyond the remit of music journalism, but suffice it to say that we’ve been particularly sad to hear that the Islamist rebels who’ve assumed control of much of the country’s northeast have sought to prevent the region’s musicians from playing — there are few countries with a richer musical tradition than Mali, and as such, it seems like a good time to survey and celebrate that tradition. We’ve therefore put together a primer on some of our favorite Malian musicians — click through and check out their work, and of course, do let us know your favorites, too.