I’m continually impressed by the Rough Guide African music compilations. One of their latest, The Rough Guide to African Blues, is another example of their well researched and wide-ranging musical surveys.

I’ll feature two tracks today off this compilation: the first from a “country” I’ve never featured on Benn loxo, Western Sahara. (If you’re unsure why I put quotation marks around the word “country” you better do some reading.)

Mariem Hassan’s voice is beautiful. She is a Saharawi, a Western Sarahan people who live in exile in neighbouring Algeria, born into a griot (igawen) family. Her brother plus two other musicians from the Tinduf refugee camp accompany her on the track, La Tumchi Anni, which translates to “don’t desert me.”

Our second track is by Ayaléw Mèsfin & Black Lion band who are from, as you probably already guessed if you’re listening to the track now, Ethiopia. He lives in the US now, but apparently his record shop back in Addis is still top for classic golden era Ethiopia rock and soul. We love that kind of thing here, you know.

Mariem Hassan – La Tumchi Anni
Ayaléw Mèsfin and Black Lion Band – Feqer Aydelem Wey