1. African Virtuoses (Guinea) - Wouloukoro - 4:31
Grand Papa Diabaté founded this "jali" band along with Abdoulaye Diabaté and others. Their instrumental album "Nanibali / Balade sur La Lagune" from which this cut comes won a major award in 1997, the French Maracas d'Or, but the album has apparently been unavailable for several years (it is out now on eMusic). This style of music is known as Mandé. It dates back several centruries. About 80 years ago it expanded to include acoustic guitar in addition to the traditional xylophone (balafon), lute (nkoni) and harp (kora). In the past 50 years or so the instruments have expanded again to electric guitars.

2. Manecas Costa (Guinea-Bissau) - Meninos - 3:49
Costa, a master of the gumbe style of Creole music, divides his time between Africa and Portugal. Here is an excellent biography.

3. Vieux Diop (Senegal) - N-Gej - 6:17
Vieux Diop (said "Via Jo") first reached musical fame as a sideman in Youssou N'Dor's band. This cut is from his first album titled "Vieux Diop". Here is a fine review of his second album, "Afrika Wassa".

4. Idrissa Soumaoro (Mali) - Nostalgia - 4:57
Idrissa Soumaoro has been performing in Mali since the 1970s. After much success he changed his life's course completely with study in Great Britain about how to teach music to the blind. This work led to the successes in Mali of the group Amadou & Miriam. More.

5. Henri Dikongue (Cameroon) - Douala - 2:22
"Douala" is the name of Henri Dikongue's birthplace in Cameroon as well as the name of his native language. This cut from his second album "C'est La Vie" is one his few instrumentals. Here is a comprehensive biography.

6. Khadja Nin (Burundi) - Kembo - 3:46
Khadja of Burundi has lived much of her tumultuous life in Europe and came to music relatively late. "Khadja Nin" is the duo of Khadja with Nicolas Fiszman. Their website has an interesting biography. They appeared with Sting in New York in 1999. This song from their fourth album "YA" is sung in Kirundi, the language of Burundi, and appears to be about children ("watoto") and sorrow.

7. Fely (Ivory Coast) - Ma Fille Dominique - 2:33
Fely's website demonstrates her remarkable versatility. Here is a detailed biography.

8. Souad Massi (Algeria) - Le Bien et Le Mal - 2:55
Beautiful Souad's website seems to be in French only. She has an upcoming US tour for which the dates have not yet been set. A biography.

9. Idrissa Soumaoro (Mali) - Wari (Money) - 4:15
See above for information about Soumaoro.

10. Manecas Costa (Guinea-Bissau) - Pertu Di Bo - 4:38
The song title means "close to you". See above for more about Costa.

11. Yoro and Yoon Wi (Senegal) - Nittu Nit - 4:08
There is almost nothing on the web about Yoro and his album "Begg Dem". His website is entirely in French. He seems mainly to be a club musician in Dakar. This page is also in French and has some interesting photos.

12. Henri Dikongue (Cameroon) - Wen Te Mba Wenge - 3:48
See above.

13. Souad Massi (Algeria) - Matebkiche - 3:27
"Matebkiche" means "Don't cry". See above for more about Souad.