amadou et mariam.

tonight i am going to see two of mali's greatest musical exports perform their incredible afro-pop for a throng of eager, young fans.

amadou and mariam are a success story like no other:

• having met at mali's institute for the young blind in the early seventies, they discovered a mutual appreciation for music, particularly the tribal rhythms of the ivory coast (where they would eventually call home). 
  
• marrying in 1980, they began working on their debut lp se te djon ye, touring it throughout western africa billed as "the blind couple from mali."
• they would release an album in 1985, sou ni tile, which proved moderately successful in france, establishing a cult following in europe that they would maintain well into the twenty-first century.
• the pair were introduced to fan manu chao, famed latin music star who would produce their breakthrough album dimanche a bamako in 2004 -- great critical success, an 8.0 rating on pitchfork, a stage slot at lollapalooza, and a brand new audience soon followed.
• last year's welcome to mali proved an eagerly anticipated release, a unique feat for a world music record, and featured production by damon albarn -- earning it the title: "one of the best pop albums of 2008" by nme, mojo, and rolling stone.

amadou and mariam are now musical mainstays at u.s. music festivals.

they will spend much of 2009 opening for the likes of coldplay and blur.

best of all, they are finally getting some due recognition in the music world -- "music" being their life's work.

i could not be happier for these two and their newfound fame.

here's a taste.