From Bamako to Birmingham: Amadou & Mariam and Blind Boys of Alabama

Longwood Debut

From Bamako to Birmingham is a culturally satisfying fusion of Afro-pop duo Amadou & Mariam and soulful gospel group Blind Boys of Alabama that combines contemporary African sounds and African-American roots music.

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More about Blind Boys of Alabama

Blind Boys of Alabama are recognized worldwide as living legends of gospel music, celebrated by The National Endowment for the Arts and the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences with Lifetime Achievement Awards. They have been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, won five Grammy Awards, and have attained the highest levels of achievement in a career that spans more than 70 years. The Blind Boys are known for crossing multiple musical boundaries with their remarkable interpretations of everything from traditional gospel favorites to contemporary spiritual material by songwriters such as Eric Clapton, Prince, and Tom Waits. They have appeared on recordings with many artists, including Lou Reed, Peter Gabriel, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Aaron Neville, Susan Tedeschi, Ben Harper, Patty Griffin, and Taj Mahal.

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More about Amadou & Mariam

For the past 40-odd years, Amadou & Mariam have managed to joyfully combine their love story with a musical career while becoming, discreetly but surely, the most famous ambassadors for Malian music and African music all around the world—a golden status that they carry with brio and playfully challenge with each new album. Amadou & Mariam have collaborated with many different people and worked with producers that seem far removed from their universe, like Damon Albarn of Blur or Manu Chao. They have invited artists like Santigold, TV On the Radio, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs who are building tomorrow’s pop music to play on their lively songs and have had their tracks remixed by Yuksek, Vitalic, Henrik Schwarz, Miike Snow, and Ashley Beedle, underlining their intrinsically danceable quality. They’ve played the world’s biggest festivals, from Coachella to Glastonbury, and opened for huge bands such as Coldplay and the Scissor Sisters. By enriching their Afro-pop with new pigments, by introducing to the world the richness and subtleties of African music, the duo has brought African music to the charts and to the dance floor. They’ve inspired many artists to mix Afro and electro sounds, such as MHD, DJ Mujava, Awesome Tapes From Africa, Four Tet, and Jamie xx. 

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