Hama Sankare, legend of Mali's desert blues, releases Niafunke, his second brilliant album recorded March 2018 in Bamako. Sankare brought into the studio dynamic young headliners, Oumar Konate, Dramane Toure, and Makan Camara along with long time colleagues Afel Bocoum, Yoro Cisse, and Kande Sissoko to forge a set of blazing tracks that breath new energy into the genre, breaking old formulas all the while honoring traditional roots. Niafunke, a city in Mali along the Niger River near Timbuktu is where Sankare continues to live with his family. He, Bocoum, and Cisse were contemporary collaborators with Ali Farka Toure whose home was also there; they can be heard on many of Farka's albums. Sankare's spirit engages everyone he meets. He has absorbed musical influences from around the world which he brings to these ten tracks. Personnel: Alpha Ousmane "Hama" Sankaré - vocal, calabash; Oumar Konaté - guitar; Dramane Touré - bass; Makan Camara - drums, percussion; Afel Bocoum - backup vocal, spoken word; Yoro Cissé - monochord; Alibaba Traoré - guitar; Kande Sissoko - ngoni; Sékou Toure - backup vocal.