- Record Label: World Circuit
- Release Date: Feb 23, 2010
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This is a magnificent and poignant farewell.
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To put it simply, Ali and Toumani is a quiet, intimate, timeless record; a transcendent expression of cultural pride, deep friendship, and above all, breath-taking musical colloquy.
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This album and its predecessor are worthy and awe-inspiring tributes to the man and the Malian musical traditions for which he and Diabaté were--and continue to be--the strongest and most compelling of standard-bearers.
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This is a deep, darkly beautiful work. The interplay between these two men is exceedingly rare in any type of music. Ali and Toumani is profound and powerful, with a soft accumulating force, like the individual drips of ice that form a river.
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This 11-track album--the second collection of collaborations by Touré and the Malian kora player Toumani Diabeté--doesn't sound like death. Rather, it's an early contender for the warmest, most life-affirming listen of 2010.
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Ali and Toumani is spontaneous and deeply spiritual, depicting two outstanding musicians who are governed by nothing but their love for their nation.
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You get the feel of two of the world's greatest musicians in a room together, having a conversation and creating a document that will carry their legacy into the future. It is not challenging music. Anyone can approach it easily, and it is the perfect initiation to Touré's talents for listeners who haven't yet heard him.
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This self-titled album is a fitting tribute to Toure’s and Diabate’s genius and friendship, and is a beautiful farewell.
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Beautifully recorded, Ali & Toumani lives up to and perhaps exceeds expectations.
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Q MagazineWithout diluting the pair's roots, the 1 tracks weave a binding spell that feels just as familiar to Western ears as African. [Mar 2010, p.108]
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MojoWhat's truly remarkable about the interplay, however, is the way the two seemlessly bridge the gulf between their cultures. [Mar 2010, p.93]
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FilterFor residents of the 21st centurey, the sound is not nearly as exotic [as it was in 1980]....However, what is particularly striking about this album is the players' ease and familarity, both with each other and with their instruments. [Winter 2010, p100]