麻豆社

The West African state of Mali is famous both for its music festivals, and for performers like Amadou and Mariam, Salif Keita, Rokia Traore or Toumani Diabate.

However, Malian music, and tourism, are in crisis following the islamist attack on the Radisson Blu hotel in the capital Bamako in November and with continued insecurity in the north of the country. Several countries, including Britain, the US and Australia, have warned against travel to the country.

With tourists staying away, festivals have been cancelled or cut back, and musicians have suffered. But foreign enthusiasts for Malian music, including the British star Damon Albarn, have ignored the travel warnings to perform in Bamako, as Robin Denselow found.

(Photo: Malian musicians Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia from the Amadou et Mariam band. Credit: Miguel Medina/Getty)