A mix wherein two great traditions meet. West Africa runs through it—Sona Jobarteh’s kora—and the griot line behind it—Rokia Traoré, Victor Démé, N’Gou Bagayoko, the Tuareg guitar of Imarhan—all string, voice and slow-burning groove. The Arab world answers: Soapkills and Bedouin Burger, Rasha’s Sudanese warmth, Badiaa Bouhrizi and Tarek Yamani folding Arabic melody into jazz piano. Two river-systems of sound flowing into one hour. A warm, open-ended listen to close the season.

Tracklist

1. Imarhan – Taghadart
2. N’Gou Bagayoko – Yala
3. Arun Ghosh – O Amar Desher Mati
4. Ziad Rahbani – Houdou Nisbi
5. Victor Démé – Djôn’maya
6. Soapkills – Galbi
7. Rokia Traoré – Laidu
8. Tash Sultana – Can’t Buy Happiness
9. Bedouin Burger – Kheit El Sabah
10. Sona Jobarteh – Saya
11. Rasha – Azara Alhai
12. Tarek Yamani – Qumairah (feat. Elie Afif, Khaled Yassine & Wahid Mubarak)
13. Badiaa Bouhrizi – Mana’a

Credits

Music curation: Mohammed Abood 

Music sequencing: Youssef Nasser 

Mixing and mastering: Sourodeep Guha 

Technical QC and delivery: Mark Alvarez