Thursday, July 11, 2013, 12:00 PM
Singer-songwriter Fatoumata Diawara is Mali’s number one rising star, penning politically outspoken songs that combine guitar- and vocal-driven jazz, pop, and funk with elements from her ancestral Wassoulou tradition. Her latest album, Fatou, features appearances by kora master Toumani Diabate and drummer Toni Allen (Fela Kuti), and comes fresh on the heels of her influential YouTube project “Voices United for Mali,” which she organized and produced. (BAM R&B)