This close look at Ali Farka Touré affirms how the guitarist merged supple Malian folk with earthy blues music. His gravelly, half-spoken vocals drive many of these languid desert blues pieces—while he's joined by a harmonic chorus in percussive, ngoni-laden folk cuts. The instrumental tracks include Touré and Toumani Diabaté's kora-infused lullabies, which unfold in sweet, seductive waves.