African Vocals

Starting in the 1950s, South Africa's Miriam Makeba defined African Vocal music by bringing together different folk, religious, and cultural singing styles in her highly sophisticated popular music. For decades, Mali's Salif Keita has matched his astounding vocal technique with increasingly diverse musical backing, including a breathtaking Country session. Cheb Khaled became a North African leader of Rai music by merging secular dance pop with a super charged Arabic vocal style. Cesaria Evora, from the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa, has become one of the world's most loved vocalists by taking an acoustic approach -- her melancholy mornas (similar to western torch songs)