Ali Farka Toure has been called the "John Lee Hooker of Africa": if it's often said that the blues are a reworking of African tribal rhythms to fit the African-American experience, then Toure has aligned the blues back to African life. Since he was born into nobility, a musical career was strongly d

Ebullient, Modern pop/dance, Rhythmic, Spiritual, Tranquil

On certain streets of Northern India it is not the classical sitar of Ravi Shankar that spills from markets and open air restaurants: it's the music of Najma Akhtar. For those who want more juice than the old-school Shankar offers, Akhtar represents the next generation. She backs up classic ghazal

Eclectic, Layered, Modern pop/dance, Pioneering, Rhythmic, Sensual

Herbie Hancock isn't easy to pin down. From bebop to free jazz, fusion to jazz-rock, instrumental pop to hip-hop, funk to world fusion, an entire spectrum of musical forms has felt the Hancock hand. With an agile sense for diverse styles, he has continuously modulated his mood and his sonorous archit

Bright, Cool, Cool jazz, Fusion, Improvised, Lush, Pioneering, Rhythmic

When Al Green drew himself a bath on a troubled night in 1977, he had no idea his life was about to change. All of a sudden his girlfriend, with whom he'd just had a row, burst through the door and slung a bowl of sizzling grits across his body. As he screamed in agony, she put the butt of a gun to h

Ecstatic, Pop, Religious, Rhythmic