Ahmed ag Kaedy

Ahmed ag Kaedy, an artist exiled from his native land in northeastern Mali, has emerged in recent years as the flagship of a contemporary and avant-garde version of classical Tuareg music. A member of the Amanar collective, he is now launching solo with the wonderful album Akaline Kidal, released earlier this year on the fascinating Sahel Sounds label.

While his bare music evokes the flayed remains of the abandoned homeland, his guitar continues to sing of the hope of better days.