Collection: Essential West African Albums

The rich musical history of West Africa has had an incalculable influence on modern music, especially the polyrhythmic elements which helped to define Jazz, Rock, Funk, and other popular Western styles. But influence is a two-way street so many modern forms of African music have incorporated music from Latin America, The US, and Europe. The region has scores of styles from traditional regional music to Afro-Pop, including Griot music from Mali, Highlife from Ghana, Nigerian Afrobeat, nomadic desert drones from the Tuareg group Tinariwen, and Senegalese Afro-Cuban fusions. This is just a small sample of essential West African albums.

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