SCENES FROM MALI
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March 31, 2000
Web posted at: 2:54 p.m. EST (1954 GMT)

(CNN) -- The West African desert nation of Mali is one of the world's poorest countries, but has a rich tradition of music that has come to the attention of Taj Mahal, Jackson Browne and other internationally celebrated artists.

As Sean Barlow, producer of Afropop WorldWide for Public Radio International, points out, the music is about more than just the next popular hit. "In Mali, it's not just 'love you, love you, baby,'" he said. "You've got to have something to say. It's amazing how important musicians are there in a kind of social discourse."

Indeed, music was behind the destruction of 60,000 illegal cassettes in January, when musicians burned in the streets the evidence of a music piracy epidemic that has swept Mali.

This week, World Beat travels to Mali, home of Grammy winner (and farmer) Ali Farka Toure, Salif Kater and Toumani Diabate to experience the local rhythms.