Audio review 10/31/03

Various Artists, 'Festival in the Desert' A few hours past Timbuktu, nestled among the sand dunes of the Sahara, 30 acts from around the world got together in January to rock the desert for an audience of nomads, tourists and camels.

The live CD from the third annual "Festival in the Desert" is a feast of treasures with a transcendental edge, with performers ranging from Malian singers Ali Farka Toure and Oumou Sangare to rocker Robert Plant.

Each track has a different way of entrancing you. On "Wana," it's the tremulous vocals of Tinde lead singer Kally. Up-and-coming vocalist Adama Yalomba and his band add rock-influenced bass and drums to their mix, yielding a danceable and funky combination.

-- AP