We’re not sure where the line lies between traditional folk music and contemporary world music, but we know Rokia Traoré seems to work both sides of the equation beautifully. Whereas we’ve recently been obsessed with Nordic roots—particularly Swedish sirens paired with cold dirges of
distortion and modern big beats—we also hanker for the more homespun varieties that work better in live settings without computers and amplifiers. Traoré, a quiet and gifted singer, works in the traditional Malian mode with plenty of Western influences. But since she continues to use old-time instrumentation (guitars, lutes, marimbas), hers is the sound of dusty African streets more than sterile German sound labs, despite recent disc-dabblings with multi-tracking and chamber
quartets. 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-338-2674; www.thecedar.org
Rokia Traoré
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