Growing Into Music in 21st Century Bamako
b'This program presents a musical portrait of Bamako in the wake of crisis. In 2012-13, Islamists occupied the north and a coup d\\u2019etat threatened a recent history of functioning democracy. With borders restored and a new elected government in place, we find musical life returning with festivals, nightclub shows and street weddings. But that picture hides darker realities. Ethnomusicologist Lucy Dur\\xe0n has been studying the oral transmission of music in various countries, notably among griot families in Mali. With her guidance, we explore the precarious lives of griots in today\\u2019s Bamako, focusing on the upbringing and education of children in these hereditary families of historian-entertainers. Elders and traditionalists say the griot tradition has been corrupted beyond hope, and even advise their young to pursue different professions. Others persist, within an environment where growing religious conservatism puts increasing pressure on the lives and careers of all musicians. We meet three extraordinarily talented griot children, and hear music and reflections from kora master Toumani Diabat\\xe9 and his massively popular songwriter son, Sidiki. And we get a fascinating historical perspective from Gregory Mann, professor of history at Columbia University.\\n\\nProduced by Banning Eyre.\\n\\nFollow Afropop Worldwide on Facebook at www.facebook.com/afropop and on Twitter @afropopww.\\n\\nSubscribe to the Afropop Worldwide newsletter at http://www.afropop.org/newsletter/\\n\\nAPWW PGM #731\\n11-3-2016'