One Nation Under a Groove

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Lively Bamako, the capital of Mali, might not have shops selling the latest iPods, but its streets spill over with tunes played by some of West Africa's greatest musicians. This city of 1 million lives for music. By day, battered taxis blare out foot-stomping beats, while old men cross roads with radios glued to their ears. By night, Bamako is a riot of noise as singers ululate at wedding parties and the city's many music venues crank up the bass.

Perhaps surprisingly, there is more than a little flavor of Cuba here — partly due to commerce, and partly due to shared rhythmic heritage. Yet each ethnic or social group (ranging from the singer-storyteller caste known as griots to the Fulani and Tuareg tribes) has its own musical tradition. The result? A heady mélange that spans infectious Afro-pop, bluesy grooves, hip-hop and a mosaic of traditional genres.

That mix is best encountered at La Refuge, tel: (223) 223 3799. It has no street address, so taxi drivers might have trouble finding it. Listen out for the chocolate-smooth Cuban rumba drifting out from the rutted lanes, a stone's throw from the Rue N'Tomicorobougou. At La Refuge, in a courtyard lit by a lone fluorescent strip, middle-aged couples dance beneath a huge Sahelian moon. Neighborhood goats wander past. And a Malian band, replete with tom-tom, lilting flute and wheelchair-using keyboardist, will likely be crooning in Portuguese about "Comandante Che Guevara."

"Music is important," says local veteran musician Amadou Bagayoko. "Every celebration is an opportunity to party." And what opportunities. La Refuge is just one gem in Bamako's brilliant music scene, which easily rivals that of Dakar, its more famous neighbor. If you're Bamako-bound, you'll find the beat here:

HOTEL WASULU:
Oumou Sangare, Mali's feisty feminist diva, is the resident headliner at this famous venue. From the southern Wassoulou region, Sangare casts an electrifying spell over the audience with her ethereal vocals, which often lambaste men for their polygamous ways. tel: (223) 228 7373

FOLYBLON:
If Hotel Wasulu is having a quiet night, try the perennially popular Folyblon. Situated in the Hippodrome, Bamako's new trendy district, it lures a sharply dressed, mostly student crowd with bands like the Makossa ensemble Mouv' Africa. To hear percussive panache, drop by on Thursdays for the djembe (African drum) sessions. Friday is griot night when a beer costs only 90¢. tel: (223) 675 5933

LE HOGON:
A fixture on the Bamako circuit for over a decade, Le Hogon is managed by the amiable Moussa Yaffa, a DJ who mixes techno with the kora (traditional harp). The club's best performers include Toumani Diabate, considered the world's greatest kora player, and the 22-piece Symmetric Orchestra, whose complex, swirling melodies are produced by the balaphon (a West African xylophone), djembe, kora and guitars. tel: (223) 223 0760

DJEMBE:
Rough-edged Djembe may have been around longer than Le Hogon, if the '70s-style decor is anything to go by. Nonetheless, it's a reliable venue for pop groups as well as traditional ensembles. tel: (223) 223 7698.