Melodic, fluid and stirring, the sound of Ali Farka Touré's guitar represents a remarkable journey. It traces a path that connects the American blues of masters like John Lee Hooker with the music's deep roots in West Africa. Born in the Malian village of Kanau in 1939, Touré belonged to a noble family and was forbidden to learn music. He nevertheless pursued his love for it by learning guitar and avidly studying musical forms of the West as well as the many traditions and languages that existed closer to home. In the mid-’80s, recordings originally made in Mali and released in France caught the attention of DJs and labels in the UK, leading to a wider discovery of his startling music. Touré's collaborations with players like Taj Mahal on 1992's The Source, Ry Cooder on 1994's Talking Timbuktu and Corey Harris on 2003's Mississippi To Mali gave him chances to expand his audience and pave the way for Tinariwen and other acts steeped in the cool sound of desert blues. Recorded and released the same year as his death from cancer in 2006, Savane is a majestic summation of Touré's achievements as a guitarist and trailblazing figure for African music.