The Rough Guide to Desert Blues

The Rough Guide To Desert Blues is a world music compilation album originally released in 2010. Desert blues refers to the music of the Mandinka and related nomad groups of the Sahara, who perform a style of music considered the root of the American Blues genre. This was first popularized in the West by Ali Farka Touré and has more recently been carried by a new wave of artists such as Tinariwen.[1]

The Rough Guide to Desert Blues
Compilation album by
Various artists
Released26 July 2010
GenreWorld, Tichumaren
Length113:58
LabelWorld Music Network
Rough Guides chronology
The Rough Guide to the Music of Afghanistan
(2010)		 The Rough Guide to Desert Blues
(2010)		 The Rough Guide to Salsa Dance
(2010)

Part of the World Music Network Rough Guides series, the album contains two discs: an overview of the genre on Disc One, and a "bonus" Disc Two highlighting Etran Finatawa. Disc One features nine Malian tracks, two Sahrawi, and one each from Mauritania and Niger. The compilation was produced by Phil Stanton, co-founder of the World Music Network.[2][3]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
MSN Music (Expert Witness)[4]A-
PopMatters[5]
Limelight[6]
Songlines[6]
Allmusic[1]

The album met positive reviews upon release. Robert Christgau called the compilation an "accessible variant" of the Rough Guide to the Music of the Sahara.[4] He went on to include it in his top albums of 2010.[7] Chris Nickson of AllMusic named it a "thorough introduction" to desert blues but called the Amadou & Mariam track "the odd one out", claiming it doesn't represent the genre.[1] David Maine of PopMatters said that while albums in the series could be hit-and miss, this one had "far more hits than misses." Calling Tinariwen "the greatest band in the world right now, bar none", Maine explained that he'd long wondered whether similar acts were "ripping off" Tinariwen, and that the album had emphatically proven that they are "not simply mimicking" the band's success.[5]

Track listing

Disc One
No.TitleArtist (Country)Length
1."Ténéré Wer Tat Zinchegh"Terakaft 4:49
2."Bambugu Blues"Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba 5:06
3."Mali Dje"Ali Farka Touré 5:39
4."Tenhert"Tinariwen 5:29
5."Tefla Madlouma"Mariem Hassan 4:09
6."Aitimani"Etran Finatawa 7:06
7."Yarab"Malouma 5:04
8."Beaux Dimanches"Amadou & Mariam 3:23
9."Kaïri Kaïri"Samba Touré 5:23
10."Achachore I Chachare Akale"Tartit 4:31
11."El Profeta"Jalihena Natu 4:46
12."Mashi"Mamane Barka 3:50
13."Aratane N’adagh"Tamikrest 5:10

Disc Two

All tracks on Disc Two are performed by Etran Finatawa.

No.TitleLength
1."Surbajo"5:32
2."A Dunya"5:04
3."Iledeman"3:41
4."Aliss"5:49
5."Maleele"3:52
6."Iriarer"4:56
7."Ekenan"5:40
8."Anadjibo"5:27
9."Ronde"5:07
10."Heeme"4:22

References
  1. Nickson, Chris. "The Rough Guide to Desert Blues". Allmusic. Retrieved 21 Dec 2013.
  2. World Music Network. "About Us - The WMN Story". Retrieved 2013-12-21.
  3. Discogs. "Various – The Rough Guide To Desert Blues". Retrieved 2013-12-22.
  4. Christgau, Robert. "Expert Witness". MSN Music. Retrieved 21 Dec 2013.
  5. Maine, David. "Various Artists: The Rough Guide to Desert Blues". PopMatters. Retrieved 21 Dec 2013.
  6. "The Rough Guide To Desert Blues". World Music Network. Retrieved 2013-12-22.
  7. Christgau, Robert. "2010: Dean's List". Retrieved 14 Jan 2014.
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