Coordinates	52°26′54″N15°35′18″N
Native name	''République du Mali'' ''Mali ka Fasojamana'' (browse)
Conventional long name	Republic of Mali
Common name	Mali
Image coat	Emblem of Mali.svg
Symbol type	Emblem
Map caption	Location of Mali within the African Union
National motto	"Un peuple, un but, une foi""One people, one goal, one faith"
National anthem	''Le Mali''"Mali"
Official languages	French
Languages type	Vernacular languages
Languages	Bambara
Demonym	Malian
Capital	Bamako
Largest city	Bamako
Government type	Semi-presidential republic
Leader title1	President
Leader title2	Prime Minister
Leader name1	Amadou Toumani Touré
Leader name2	Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé
Area rank	24th
Area magnitude	1 E12
Area km2	1,240,192
Area sq mi	478,839
Percent water	1.6
Population census	14,517,176
Population census rank	67th
Population census year	April 2009
Population density km2	11.7
Population density sq mi	30.3
Population density rank	215th
Gdp ppp	$16.772 billion
Gdp ppp year	2010
Gdp ppp per capita	$1,251
Gdp nominal	$9.268 billion
Gdp nominal year	2010
Gdp nominal per capita	$691
Sovereignty type	Independence
Established event1	from France as the Sudanese Republic, with Senegal as the Mali Federation
Established date1	4 April 1960
Established event2	as Mali
Established date2	22 September 1960
Hdi	0.371
Hdi rank	178th
Hdi year	2007
Hdi category	low
Gini	50.5
Gini year	1994
Gini category	high
Currency	West African CFA franc
Currency code	XOF
Country code	MLI
Time zone	GMT
Utc offset	+0
Time zone dst	''not observed''
Utc offset dst	+0
Drives on	right
Cctld	.ml
Calling code	223
Footnotes	}}

Mali (), officially the Republic of Mali (, ), is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with a population of 14.5 million. Its capital is Bamako. Mali consists of eight regions and its borders on the north reach deep into the middle of the Sahara, while the country's southern region, where the majority of inhabitants live, features the Niger and Sénégal rivers. The country's economic structure centers around agriculture and fishing. Some of Mali's natural resources include gold, uranium, and salt.

Present-day Mali was once part of three West African empires that controlled trans-Saharan trade: the Ghana Empire, the Mali Empire (from which Mali is named), and the Songhai Empire. In the late 19th century, during the Scramble for Africa, France seized control of Mali making it a part of French Sudan. French Sudan (then known as the Sudanese Republic) joined with Senegal in 1959, achieving independence in 1960 as the Mali Federation. Shortly thereafter, following Senegal's withdrawal from the federation, the Sudanese Republic declared itself the independent Republic of Mali. After a long period of one-party rule, a 1991 coup led to the writing of a new constitution and the establishment of Mali as a democratic, multi-party state. About half the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day.

History

Mali was once part of three famed West African empires which controlled trans-Saharan trade in gold, salt, slaves, and other precious commodities. These Sahelian kingdoms had neither rigid geopolitical boundaries nor rigid ethnic identities. The earliest of these empires was the Ghana Empire, which was dominated by the Soninke, a Mande-speaking people. The nation expanded throughout West Africa from the 8th century until 1078, when it was conquered by the Almoravids.

The Mali Empire later formed on the upper Niger River, and reached the height of power in the 14th century. Under the Mali Empire, the ancient cities of Djenné and Timbuktu were centers of both trade and Islamic learning. The empire later declined as a result of internal intrigue, ultimately being supplanted by the Songhai Empire. The Songhai people originated in current northwestern Nigeria. The Songhai had long been a major power in West Africa subject to the Mali Empire's rule.

In the late 14th century, the Songhai gradually gained independence from the Mali Empire and expanded, ultimately subsuming the entire eastern portion of the Mali Empire. The Songhai Empire's eventual collapse was largely the result of a Moroccan invasion in 1591, under the command of Judar Pasha. The fall of the Songhai Empire marked the end of the region's role as a trading crossroads. Following the establishment of sea routes by the European powers, the trans-Saharan trade routes lost significance.

One of the worst famines in the region's recorded history occurred in the 18th century. According to John Iliffe, "The worst crises were in the 1680s, when famine extended from the Senegambian coast to the Upper Nile and 'many sold themselves for slaves, only to get a sustenance', and especially in 1738–56, when West Africa's greatest recorded subsistence crisis, due to drought and locusts, reportedly killed half the population of Timbuktu."

In the colonial era, Mali fell under the control of the French beginning in the late 19th century. By 1905, most of the area was under firm French control as a part of French Sudan. In early 1959, French Sudan (which changed its name to the Sudanese Republic) and Senegal united to become the Mali Federation. The Mali Federation gained independence from France on 20 June 1960. Senegal withdrew from the federation in August 1960, which allowed the Sudanese Republic to become the independent Republic of Mali on 22 September 1960. Modibo Keïta was elected the first president. Keïta quickly established a one-party state, adopted an independent African and socialist orientation with close ties to the East, and implemented extensive nationalization of economic resources.

In November 1968, following progressive economic decline, the Keïta regime was overthrown in a bloodless military coup led by Moussa Traoré. The subsequent military-led regime, with Traoré as president, attempted to reform the economy. However, his efforts were frustrated by political turmoil and a devastating drought between 1968 to 1974, which killed thousands of people from famine. The Traoré regime faced student unrest beginning in the late 1970s and three coup attempts. However, the Traoré regime repressed all dissenters until the late 1980s.

The government continued to attempt economic reforms, and the populace became increasingly dissatisfied. In response to growing demands for multi-party democracy, the Traoré regime allowed some limited political liberalization, but refused to usher in a full-fledged democratic system. In 1990, cohesive opposition movements began to emerge, and was complicated by the turbulent rise of ethnic violence in the north following the return of many Tuaregs to Mali. Anti-government protests in 1991 led to a coup, a transitional government, and a new constitution. In 1992, Alpha Oumar Konaré won Mali's first democratic, multi-party presidential election. Upon his reelection in 1997, President Konaré pushed through political and economic reforms and fought corruption. In 2002, he was succeeded in democratic elections by Amadou Toumani Touré, a retired general, who had been the leader of the military aspect of the 1991 democratic uprising. Today, Mali is one of the most politically and socially stable countries in Africa.

Geography

Mali is a landlocked nation in West Africa, located southwest of Algeria. It lies between latitudes 10° and 25°N, and longitudes 13°W and 5°E.

At , Mali is the world's 24th-largest country and is comparable in size to South Africa or Angola. Most of the country lies in the southern Sahara, which produces a hot, dust-laden Sudanian savanna zone. Mali is mostly flat, rising to rolling northern plains covered by sand. The Adrar des Ifoghas lies in the northeast.

The country's climate ranges from tropical in the south to arid in the north. Most of the country receives negligible rainfall; droughts are frequent. Late June to early December is the rainy season. During this time, flooding of the Niger River is common, creating the Inner Niger Delta. The nation has considerable natural resources, with gold, uranium, phosphates, kaolinite, salt and limestone being most widely exploited. Mali faces numerous environmental challenges, including desertification, deforestation, soil erosion, and inadequate supplies of potable water.

Regions and cercles

Mali is divided into eight regions (''régions'') and one district. Each region has a governor. Since Mali's regions are very large, the country is subdivided into 49 cercles, 288 arrondissements and 703 communes. Mayors and elected members of the city councils officiate the arrondissements.

The regions and districts are:

Gao

Kayes

Kidal

Koulikoro

Mopti

Ségou

Sikasso

Tombouctou (Timbuktu)

Bamako (capital district)

Politics and government

Mali is a constitutional democracy governed by the Constitution of 12 January 1992, which was amended in 1999. The constitution provides for a separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. The system of government can be described as "semi-presidential." Executive power is vested in a president, who is elected to a five-year term by universal suffrage and is limited to two terms. The president serves as a chief of state and commander in chief of the armed forces. A prime minister appointed by the president serves as head of government and in turn appoints the Council of Ministers. The unicameral National Assembly is Mali’s sole legislative body, consisting of deputies elected to five-year terms. Following the 2007 elections, the Alliance for Democracy and Progress held 113 of 160 seats in the assembly. The assembly holds two regular sessions each year, during which it debates and votes on legislation that has been submitted by a member or by the government. Democracy-wise things looked positive after the local elections at the end of April 2009, though significant shortcomings and attempts at manipulation still existed.

Mali’s constitution provides for an independent judiciary, but the executive continues to exercise influence over the judiciary by virtue of power to appoint judges and oversee both judicial functions and law enforcement. Mali's highest courts are the Supreme Court, which has both judicial and administrative powers, and a separate Constitutional Court that provides judicial review of legislative acts and serves as an election arbiter. Various lower courts exist, though village chiefs and elders resolve most local disputes in rural areas.

Foreign relations and military

Mali's foreign policy orientation has become increasingly pragmatic and pro-Western over time. Since the institution of a democratic form of government in 2002, Mali’s relations with the West in general and with the United States in particular have improved significantly. Mali has a longstanding yet ambivalent relationship with France, a former colonial ruler. Mali is active in regional organizations such as the African Union. Working to control and resolve regional conflicts, such as in Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, is one of Mali’s major foreign policy goals. Mali feels threatened by the potential for the spillover of conflicts in neighboring states, and relations with those neighbors are often uneasy. General insecurity along borders in the north, including cross-border banditry and terrorism, remain troubling issues in regional relations.

Mali’s military forces consist of an army, which includes land forces and air force, as well as the paramilitary Gendarmerie and Republican Guard, all of which are under the control of Mali's Ministry of Defense and Veterans, headed by a civilian. The military is underpaid, poorly equipped, and in need of rationalization. Organization has suffered from the incorporation of Tuareg irregular forces into the regular military following a 1992 agreement between the government and Tuareg rebel forces. The military has generally kept a low profile since the democratic transition of 1992.thumb|A tower by Bamako's International Conference Center The incumbent president, Amadou Toumani Touré, is a former army general and as such reportedly enjoys widespread military support. In the annual human rights report for 2003, the U.S. Department of State rated civilian control of security forces as generally effective but noted a few "instances in which elements of the security forces acted independently of government authority.". Western powers such as the United States have also helped Mali's military with training and equipment.

Economy

Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world. The average worker's annual salary is approximately US$1,500. Between 1992 and 1995, Mali implemented an economic adjustment program that resulted in economic growth and a reduction in financial imbalances. The program increased social and economic conditions, and led to Mali joining the World Trade Organization on 31 May 1995. The gross domestic product (GDP) has risen since. In 2002, the GDP amounted to US$3.4 billion, and increased to US$5.8 billion in 2005, which amounts to an approximately 17.6% annual growth rate.

Mali's key industry is agriculture. Cotton is the country's largest crop export and is exported west throughout Senegal and the Ivory Coast. During 2002, 620,000 tons of cotton were produced in Mali but cotton prices declined significantly in 2003. In addition to cotton, Mali produces rice, millet, corn, vegetables, tobacco, and tree crops. Gold, livestock and agriculture amount to eighty percent of Mali's exports. Eighty percent of Malian workers are employed in agriculture while fifteen percent work in the service sector. However, seasonal variations lead to regular temporary unemployment of agricultural workers. Mali's resource in livestock consists of millions of cattle, sheep, and goats. Approximately 40% of Mali's herds were lost during the Sahel drought in 1972–74.

In 1991, with the assistance of the International Development Association, Mali relaxed the enforcement of mining codes which led to renewed foreign interest and investment in the mining industry. Gold is mined in the southern region and Mali has the third highest gold production in Africa (after South Africa and Ghana). The emergence of gold as Mali’s leading export product since 1999 has helped mitigate some of the negative impact of the cotton and Côte d’Ivoire crises. Other natural resources include kaolin, salt, phosphate, and limestone.

Electricity and water are maintained by the Energie du Mali, or EDM, and textiles are generated by Industry Textile du Mali, or ITEMA. Mali has made efficient use of hydroelectricity, consisting of over half of Mali's electrical power. In 2002, 700 GWh of hydroelectric power were produced in Mali.

The Malian government participates in foreign involvement, concerning commerce and privatization. Mali underwent economic reform, beginning in 1988 by signing agreements with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. During 1988 to 1996, Mali's government largely reformed public enterprises. Since the agreement, sixteen enterprises were privatized, twelve partially privatized, and twenty liquidated. In 2005, the Malian government conceded a railroad company to the Savage Corporation. Two major companies, Societé de Telecommunications du Mali (SOTELMA) and the Cotton Ginning Company (CMDT), are expected to be privatized in 2008.

Mali is a member of the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA).

Demographics

In July 2009, Mali's population was an estimated 14.5 million. The population is predominantly rural (68% in 2002), and 5–10% of Malians are nomadic. More than 90% of the population lives in the southern part of the country, especially in Bamako, which has over 1 million residents.

In 2007, about 48% of Malians were less than fifteen years old, 49% were 15–64 years old, and 3% were 65 and older. The median age was 15.9 years. The birth rate in 2007 was 49.6 births per 1,000, and the total fertility rate was 7.4 children per woman. The death rate in 2007 was 16.5 deaths per 1,000. Life expectancy at birth was 49.5 years total (47.6 for males and 51.5 for females). Mali has one of the world's highest rates of infant mortality, with 106 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2007.

Mali’s population encompasses a number of sub-Saharan ethnic groups, most of which have historical, cultural, linguistic, and religious commonalities. The Bambara () are by far the largest single ethnic group, making up 36.5% of the population. Collectively, the Bambara, Soninké, Khassonké, and Malinké, all part of the broader Mandé group, constitute 50% of Mali's population. Other significant groups are the Fula (; ) (17%), Voltaic (12%), Songhai (6%), and Tuareg and Moor (10%). Mali historically has enjoyed reasonably good inter-ethnic relations; however, some hereditary servitude relationships exist, as do ethnic tensions between the Songhai and the Tuareg. Over the past 40 years, persistent drought has forced many Tuareg to give up their nomadic way of life.

Mali’s official language is French, but numerous (40 or more) African languages also are widely used by the various ethnic groups. About 80% of Mali’s population can communicate in Bambara, which is the country’s principal lingua franca and marketplace language.

Religion

{{bar box |title=Religion in Mali |titlebar=#ddd |left1=religion |right1=percent |float=right |bars= }} An estimated 90% of Malians are Muslim (mostly Sunni and Sufi), approximately 5% are Christian (about two-thirds Roman Catholic and one-third Protestant) and the remaining 5% adhere to indigenous or traditional animist beliefs. Atheism and agnosticism are believed to be rare among Malians, most of whom practice their religion on a daily basis. Islam as practiced in Mali is moderate, tolerant, and adapted to local conditions; relations between Muslims and practitioners of minority religious faiths are generally amicable. The constitution establishes a secular state and provides for freedom of religion, and the government largely respects this right.

Health and education

Mali faces numerous health challenges related to poverty, malnutrition, and inadequate hygiene and sanitation. Mali's health and development indicators rank among the worst in the world. In 2000, only 62–65 percent of the population was estimated to have access to safe drinking water and only 69 percent to sanitation services of some kind. In 2001, the general government expenditures on health totaled about US$4 per capita at an average exchange rate. Medical facilities in Mali are very limited, and medicines are in short supply. Malaria and other arthropod-borne diseases are prevalent in Mali, as are a number of infectious diseases such as cholera and tuberculosis. Mali’s population also suffers from a high rate of child malnutrition and a low rate of immunization. An estimated 1.9 percent of the adult and children population was afflicted with HIV/AIDS that year, among the lowest rates in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Public education in Mali is in principle provided free of charge and is compulsory for nine years between the ages of seven and sixteen. The system encompasses six years of primary education beginning at age seven, followed by six years of secondary education. However, Mali’s actual primary school enrollment rate is low, in large part because families are unable to cover the cost of uniforms, books, supplies, and other fees required to attend. In the 2000–01 school year, the primary school enrollment rate was 61% (71% of males and 51% of females); in the late 1990s, the secondary school enrollment rate was 15% percent (20% of males and 10% of females). The education system is plagued by a lack of schools in rural areas, as well as shortages of teachers and materials. Estimates of literacy rates in Mali range from 27–30% to 46.4%, with literacy rates significantly lower among women than men.

According to the World Health Organization in 2001 an estimated 91.6% of Mali's girls and women have had some form of female genital cutting performed on them.

Culture

Malian musical traditions are derived from the griots, who are known as "Keeper of Memories". Malian music is diverse and has several different genres. Some famous Malian influences in music are kora virtouso musician Toumani Diabaté, the late roots and blues guitarist Ali Farka Touré, the Tuareg band Tinariwen, and several Afro-pop artists such as Salif Keita, the duo Amadou et Mariam, Oumou Sangare, and Habib Koité.

Though Mali's literature is less famous than its music, Mali has always been one of Africa's liveliest intellectual centers. Mali's literary tradition is passed mainly by word of mouth, with ''jalis'' reciting or singing histories and stories known by heart. Amadou Hampâté Bâ, Mali's best-known historian, spent much of his life writing these oral traditions down for the world to remember. The best-known novel by a Malian writer is Yambo Ouologuem's ''Le devoir de violence'', which won the 1968 Prix Renaudot but whose legacy was marred by accusations of plagiarism. Other well-known Malian writers include Baba Traoré, Modibo Sounkalo Keita, Massa Makan Diabaté, Moussa Konaté, and Fily Dabo Sissoko.

The varied everyday culture of Malians reflects the country's ethnic and geographic diversity. Most Malians wear flowing, colorful robes called boubous that are typical of West Africa. Malians frequently participate in traditional festivals, dances, and ceremonies. Rice and millet are the staples of Malian cuisine, which is heavily based on cereal grains. Grains are generally prepared with sauces made from leaves such spinach or baobab leaves, with tomato, or with peanut sauce, and may be accompanied by pieces of grilled meat (typically chicken, mutton, beef, or goat). Malian cuisine varies regionally.

Sports

The most popular sport in Mali is football (soccer), which became more prominent after Mali hosted the 2002 African Cup of Nations. Most towns have regular games; the most popular teams nationally are Djoliba AC, Stade Malien, and Real Bamako, all based in the capital. Informal games are often played by youths using a bundle of rags as a ball.

The country has produced notable players for French teams, including Salif Keita and Jean Tigana. Frédéric "Fredi" Kanouté, named 2007 African Footballer of the Year, currently plays for Sevilla FC in Spain's La Liga. Mahamadou Diarra, the captain of the Mali national team, played for Real Madrid for four seasons before moving to AS Monaco FC and Seydou Keita plays for FC Barcelona. Other notable players currently on European squads include, Mamady Sidibe (Stoke City), Mohammed Sissoko (Juventus), Sammy Traore (Paris Saint-Germain), Adama Coulibaly (AJ Auxerre), Kalifa Cisse, Jimmy Kebe (Reading F.C.), Dramane Traoré (Lokomotiv Moscow), Garra Dembele (Levski Sofia) and others. Basketball is another major sport; the Mali women's national basketball team, led by Hamchetou Maiga, competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Traditional wrestling (''la lutte'') is also somewhat common, though popularity has declined in recent years. The game wari, a mancala variant, is a common pastime.

Fashion

Mali launched it's first ever Fashion Week in 2011. On July 28, 2011 at a press conference held at the United Nations representatives from Mali and fashion label BEBENOIR announced the inaugural Mali Fashion Week will take place December 12, 2011 through December 18, 20111 at the Musee Du Mali in Bamako, the capital city of Mali. Mali Fashion Week showcases the lines of international fashion designers.

See also

Malian passport

LGBT rights in Mali

Notes

Further reading

Constitution of Mali. A student-translated English version is also available.

Hudgens, Jim, Richard Trillo, and Nathalie Calonnec. ''The Rough Guide to West Africa''. Rough Guides (2003). ISBN 1-84353-118-6.

Mali country profile. Library of Congress Federal Research Division (January 2005). ''This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.''

Mwakikagile, Godfrey. ''Military Coups in West Africa Since The Sixties'', Huntington, New York: Nova Science Publishers, 2001.

Milet, Eric & Jean-Luc Manaud. ''Mali''. Editions Olizane (2007). ISBN 2-88086-351-1.

Moseley, W.G. 2007. “Mali.” Encyclopedia of Environment and Society. Edited by Paul Robbins. Sage Publications. Volume 3, pgs 1085–1086.

Pye-Smith, Charlie & Rhéal Drisdelle. ''Mali: A Prospect of Peace?'' Oxfam (1997). ISBN 0-85598-334-5.

Velton, Ross. ''Mali''. Bradt Travel Guides (2004). ISBN 1-84162-077-7.

External links

Mali Fashion Week Press Conference at United Nations.

Category:African countries Category:Former colonies of France Category:French-speaking countries Category:Landlocked countries Category:Liberal democracies Category:Least developed countries Category:Member states of La Francophonie Category:Member states of the African Union Category:Member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Category:Republics Category:States and territories established in 1960 Category:Member states of the United Nations

ace:Mali af:Mali als:Mali am:ማሊ ar:مالي an:Mali arc:ܡܠܝ frp:Mali ast:Malí az:Mali bm:Mali bn:মালি bjn:Mali zh-min-nan:Mali be:Малі be-x-old:Малі bcl:Mali bo:མ་ལི། bs:Mali br:Mali bg:Мали ca:Mali cv:Мали ceb:Mali cs:Mali cy:Mali da:Mali de:Mali dv:މާލީ dsb:Mali et:Mali el:Μάλι es:Malí eo:Malio ext:Mali eu:Mali ee:Mali fa:مالی hif:Mali fo:Mali fr:Mali fy:Maly ff:Maali ga:Mailí gv:Malee gag:Mali gd:Màili gl:Malí - Mali xal:Малудин Орн ko:말리 ha:Mali hy:Մալի hi:माली hsb:Mali hr:Mali io:Mali ilo:Mali bpy:মালি id:Mali ia:Mali ie:Mali os:Мали is:Malí it:Mali he:מאלי jv:Mali pam:Mali ka:მალი kk:Мали kw:Mali rw:Mali sw:Mali kg:Mali ht:Mali ku:Malî mrj:Мали la:Malium lv:Mali lb:Mali lt:Malis lij:Mali li:Mali ln:Mali lmo:Mali hu:Mali mk:Мали ml:മാലി mt:Mali mr:माली arz:مالى ms:Mali my:မာလီနိုင်ငံ nah:Mali nl:Mali new:माली गाविस, दोलखा जिल्ला ja:マリ共和国 pih:Maali no:Mali nn:Mali nov:Mali oc:Mali uz:Mali pnb:مالی pap:Mali ps:مالي pms:Mali nds:Mali pl:Mali pt:Mali crh:Mali ro:Mali qu:Mali ru:Мали sah:Мали se:Mali sa:माली sg:Malïi sc:Mali sco:Mali stq:Mali st:Mali sq:Mali scn:Mali si:මාලි simple:Mali ss:IMali sk:Mali sl:Mali szl:Mali so:Maali ckb:مالی sr:Мали sh:Mali fi:Mali sv:Mali tl:Mali (bansa) ta:மாலி kab:Mali tt:Мали th:ประเทศมาลี ti:ማሊ tg:Малӣ tr:Mali tk:Mali uk:Малі ur:مالی ug:مالى vec:Małì vi:Mali vo:Maliyän fiu-vro:Mali war:Mali wo:Mali wuu:马里 ts:Mali yo:Málì zh-yue:馬里 diq:Mali bat-smg:Malis zh:马里共和国

Coordinates	52°26′54″N15°35′18″N
Name	Papa Mali
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Malcolm Welbourne
Alias	Papa Mali
Born	May 6, 1957
Origin	Born in Vicksburg, Mississippi - raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. Lifelong family and musical ties to New Orleans. Currently living near Austin, Texas.
Instrument	Guitar, Vocals
Genre	Funk, Blues, Swamp, Soul,
Years active	1970s–present
Label	Fog City
Associated acts	7 Walkers
Past members	}}

Malcolm "Papa Mali" Welbourne is a slide guitarist, singer, and songwriter who grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana and is based in Austin, Texas.

His debut recording ''Thunder Chicken'', produced by Dan Prothero, has been referred to as "one of the few truly wild and unruly records to come from the rock & roll tradition in the 21st century".

Biography

While still in grade school, he was conning his cousin to take him into the French Quarter so he could buy every element of Brian Jones's outfit from the front cover of The Rolling Stones ''High Tides & Green Grass''.

He had taken up the guitar at age four, and was learning to play rock and blues by the time he was eleven. At the age of twelve he witnessed The Meters performing on the back of a flatbed truck in New Orleans on Mardi Gras Day. This would have a lasting impact on the young musician. The great blues guitarist John Campbell took him under his wing when Welbourne was 14, and around that time he started taking the Blues seriously. By the time he was 17, he had left home and was hitch hiking around the south, playing guitar on the streets for passing change, playing in juke joints, forming short-lived bands or backing up blues and soul singers.

A trip to Jamaica in 1977 exposed him to reggae music, and a few years later he teamed up with Michael E. Johnson and formed The Killer Bees in 1980. They continued to play for many years, eventually becoming one of the first American bands to perform at Reggae Sunsplash in Montego Bay, Jamaica in 1988. Earlier, while on tour with Burning Spear aka Winston Rodney and his band, he received the nickname, Papa Mali from the reggae pioneers. By the time the Killer Bees disbanded, Papa Mali was ready to step out on his own and re-embrace his musical heritage, the swampy funk and bluesy soul of Louisiana and the Mississippi Delta.

Upon the release of his debut album ''Thunder Chicken'' he remarked that for the first time in his adult life, he was finally able to reflect warmly on the years growing up in Shreveport. In 2007 he released the follow-up, ''Do Your Thing'', also on the Fog City imprint and produced by Dan Prothero. It included a cast of New Orleans' legends - Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indians, sousaphone innovator Kirk Joseph, (who is a founding member of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band) and piano wizard, Henry Butler, considered by many to be the leading torchbearer of such past greats as James Booker and Professor Longhair - and helped to expand his national and international following. By now, he was performing at many of the top festivals in the U.S. and abroad.

In 2009 he formed a new band, 7 Walkers along with Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann, The Meters bassist George Porter Jr. and multi-instrumentalist, Matt Hubbard. Their self-titled debut is set for release on November 2, 2010 on Response Records. The songs were co-written by Papa Mali and longtime Grateful Dead (and recent Bob Dylan) lyricist, Robert Hunter. One of these songs, King Cotton Blues features a vocal duet with Papa Mali and Willie Nelson. The record was recorded in Austin and produced by Papa Mali.

Selected Discography

Papa Mali and the Instigators ''Thunder Chicken'' (2000) - Fog City Records

Papa Mali ''Do Your Thing'' (2007) - Fog City Records

As Producer

Ruthie Foster, ''The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster'' (2007)Blue Corn

With 7 Walkers

''7 Walkers'' (2010) Response Records

References

==External links==

Fog City Records presents: Papa Mali

Papa Mali collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive

Category:American male singers Category:American funk guitarists Category:American blues guitarists Category:Live Music Archive artists Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Louisiana Category:1957 births

Coordinates	52°26′54″N15°35′18″N
name	Bernie Worrell
landscape	Yes
background	solo_singer
birth name	George Bernard Worrell, Jr.
alias	"Dr. Woo"
born	April 19, 1944Long Branch, New JerseyUnited States
instrument	keyboards, vocals
genre	Funk, Rock, Alternative rock, Blues rock, R&B, Jazz
occupation	Musician, Composer, Producer
years active	1947–present
associated acts	Parliament-Funkadelic, Praxis, Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains, Bernie Worrell and the Woo Warriors, Talking Heads
website	bernieworrell.com
notable instruments	}}

George Bernard "Bernie" Worrell, Jr. (born April 19, 1944) is an American keyboardist and composer best known as a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic. Ice Cube called him the best keyboardist he has ever heard.

Biography

Funk and soul

Worrell was born in Long Branch, New Jersey and grew up in Plainfield, New Jersey. A musical prodigy, he learned to play the piano by age three and wrote a concerto at age eight. He went on to study at Juilliard and the New England Conservatory of Music. As a college student around 1970, Worrell played with a group called Chubby & The Turnpikes (later to be known as Tavares). The drummer in that band was Joey Kramer, who left in October, 1970, to be a founding member of the rock band Aerosmith. He then met George Clinton, then the leader of a doo wop group called The Parliaments. Soon, Worrell, Clinton, The Parliaments and their backing band (Funkadelic) moved to Detroit, Michigan, and became Parliament. During the 1970s the same group of musicians toured and recorded under both the Parliament and Funkadelic names as well as several others, collectively known as Parliament-Funkadelic. Worrell was a central figure in the group. He played the piano, keyboards and organ in both groups and co-wrote or did the arrangements for many of the bands' hits. He debuted the keyboard synthesizer bass in popular music on the Parliament song "Flash Light". He also recorded a 1978 album with the group, ''All the Woo in the World'', under his own name.

While funk musicians traditionally utilized electric keyboards, such as the Hammond organ and Fender Rhodes electric piano, Bernie Worrell created Parliament’s distinctive riffs with a Minimoog synthesizer. Worrell’s synthesizer work is prominent on the majority of Parliament’s most popular (and most sampled) songs throughout the 1970s, most notably ”Mothership Connection (Star Child)” and “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)” from ''Mothership Connection'', "Flash Light from ''Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome'' and "Aqua Boogie" from ''Motor Booty Affair''.

Alternative Music

After the original Parliament-Funkadelic stopped touring in the early 1980s, Worrell released several solo albums. He was recruited, along with other musicians from differing genres such as Adrian Belew, to perform and record with Talking Heads, a pioneering new wave act. Worrell's experience and feel for different arrangements enhanced the overall sound of the band. Though he never officially joined Talking Heads, he was a ''de facto'' member of the group for most of the '80s, appearing on one of their studio albums, several solo albums, and multiple tours until they disbanded officially in 1992. Worrell can be seen in the Talking Heads concert film ''Stop Making Sense''.

Worrell also co-produced Fred Schneider's 1984 solo album ''Fred Schneider & the Shake Society'', and played keyboards and synthesizers on some of the album's tracks.

Since the late 1980s, Worrell has recorded extensively with Bill Laswell. He has also performed with Gov't Mule. Through the beginning of the 21st century, Bernie has become a visible member of the so-called Jam band scene, performing in many large summer festivals, sometimes billed as Bernie Worrell and the Woo Warriors. These new funk, groove, and rock bands have embraced Worrell's historical relevance and immense talent. He has appeared on many Jack Bruce albums, including A Question of Time, Cities of the Heart (live), Monkjack, and More Jack Than God.

In 1994, Worrell appeared on the Red Hot Organization's compilation album, Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool. The album, meant to raise awareness and funds in support of the AIDS epidemic in relation to the African American community, was heralded as "Album of the Year" by Time Magazine.

Worrell has since joined the rock group Black Jack Johnson, with Mos Def, Will Calhoun, Doug Wimbish and Dr. Know. He appears with the band on Mos Def's 2004 release The New Danger.

Worrell joined forces with bass legend Les Claypool, guitarist Buckethead, and drummer Bryan Mantia to form the group Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains.

His project Baby Elephant is a collaboration with Stetsasonic member/De La Soul producer Prince Paul (producer) and longtime Paul associate Don Newkirk. Released September 11, 2007, ''Turn My Teeth Up!'', features George Clinton, Shock G, Yellowman, Reggie Watts, Nona Hendryx, David Byrne and Gabby La La. In 2009 he joined with longtime Parliament-Funkadelic guitarist and musical director Dwayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight, bassist Melvin Gibbs and drummer J.T. Lewis to form the band "SociaLybrium". Their album "For You/For Us/For All" was released on Livewired Music in January 2010.

His nephew is underground rapper Chino XL.

Worrell appears in the 2004 documentary film ''Moog'' with synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog and several other Moog synthesizer musicians.

Documentary

A film entitled "Stranger: Bernie Worrell on Earth" was released about the life, music and impact of Bernie on music. "The Film captures the life and the sound of an overlooked and eccentric musical mastermind who has been compared to Beethoven, Duke Ellington and Jimi Hendrix."

Discography

Solo albums

1978: ''All the Woo in the World''

1990: ''B.W. Jam (Rock the House)''

1991: ''Funk of Ages''

1993: ''Pieces Of Woo: The Other Side''

1993: ''Blacktronic Science''

1997: ''Free Agent: A Spaced Odyssey''

2007: ''Improvisczario''

Selected group albums and notable contributions

1970: ''Osmium'' by Parliament

1970: ''Funkadelic'' by Funkadelic

1971: ''Maggot Brain'' by Funkadelic

1972: ''America Eats Its Young'' by Funkadelic

1974: ''Up for the Down Stroke'' by Parliament

1977: ''Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome'' by Parliament

1982: ''The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads'' by Talking Heads

1983: ''Speaking in Tongues'' by Talking Heads

1984: ''Stop Making Sense'' by Talking Heads

1984: ''Fred Schneider & the Shake Society'' by Fred Schneider

1992: ''Transmutation (Mutatis Mutandis)'' by Praxis

1993: ''Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud'' by Julian Schnabel

1999: ''Unison'' by Shin Terai

2004: ''The Big Eyeball in the Sky'' by Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains

2006: ''Gold & Wax'' by Gigi

2007: ''Lightyears'' by Shin Terai

2007: ''Tennessee 2004'' by Praxis

2007: ''Turn My Teeth Up!'' by Baby Elephant

2008: ''Profanation (Preparation for a Coming Darkness)'' by Praxis

2008: ''Living on Another Frequency'' by Science Faxtion

2008: ''A New Mind'' by Activities of Dust

References

External links

The official website of Bernie Worrell

Stranger: Bernie Worrell on Earth - the official documentary on Bernie Worrell

Bernie Worrell collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive (currently empty)

Bernie Worrell and the WOO Warriors collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive

Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:American funk keyboardists Category:P-Funk members Category:American session musicians Category:Musicians from New Jersey Category:People from Plainfield, New Jersey Category:CBS Orchestra members Category:The Pretenders members Category:The Golden Palominos members Category:African American rock musicians

de:Bernie Worrell es:Bernie Worrell it:Bernie Worrell ja:バーニー・ウォーレル no:Bernie Worrell ro:Bernie Worrell sv:Bernie Worrell

Coordinates	52°26′54″N15°35′18″N
name	Bill Kreutzmann
background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
birth name	William Kreutzmann
born	May 07, 1946Palo Alto, California, U.S.
origin	San Francisco, California, U.S.
instrument	Drum kit, djembe, percussion
genre	Rock, psychedelic rock, folk rock
occupation	Musician
years active	1959–present
associated acts	Grateful Dead (1965-1995) Backbone (1998) The Other Ones (2000-2002) The Dead (2003-2009) SerialPod (2005) Rhythm Devils (2006, 2010) BK3 (2008-present) 7 Walkers (2009-present)
notable instruments	}}

Bill Kreutzmann (born May 7, 1946 in Palo Alto, California) is an American drummer who played with the rock band the Grateful Dead for their entire thirty-year career. Recently he has been playing shows with his own bands BK3 and 7 Walkers which also features guitarist Papa Mali.

Career

Grateful Dead

Kreutzmann started playing drums at the age of 13, despite having been told by his sixth grade music teacher that he couldn't keep a beat. As a teenager, he met Aldous Huxley at his high school, who encouraged him in his drumming.

At the end of 1964 he co-founded the band The Warlocks, along with Phil Lesh, Jerry Garcia, Bob Weir, and Ron "Pigpen" McKernan. Their first real gig was May 5, 1965, two days before Kreutzmann's nineteenth birthday. During the band's early days, Kreutzmann sometimes used a fake draft card with the name "Bill Sommers" to be admitted to bars where the band was playing, since he was underage. In November 1965, the Warlocks became the Grateful Dead. Meeting fellow percussionist Mickey Hart in the fall of 1967 would have a big impact on Kreutzmann's career. Hart soon joined the Dead, making it one of the first (and few) rock bands to feature two drummers. The two percussionists' remarkable cohesion, synchronicity, and driving power became a hallmark of the Grateful Dead sound, and earned them the nickname "the Rhythm Devils". Their lengthy drum duets were a feature of nearly every show from 1978–1995, and are documented in a number of recordings by the band.

Kreutzmann remained with the Grateful Dead until its dissolution following the passing of Garcia in 1995, making him one of four members to play at every one of the band's 2,300 shows, along with Garcia, Weir and Lesh.

In 1994, Kreutzmann and the other members of the Grateful Dead were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2007, they won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Post-Grateful Dead music

Kreutzmann's first post Grateful Dead musical project was Backbone, a trio with guitarist Rick Barnett and bassist Edd Cook. They released one album, ''Backbone'', in 1998.

In 1998, former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, and Mickey Hart formed a band called The Other Ones, which played a number of shows as part of the Furthur Festival. The band did not play live in 1999. Then, in 2000, Kreutzmann joined The Other Ones. The band, with Kreutzmann, toured in 2000 and 2002. In 2003, they changed their name to The Dead. The Dead played a number of live concerts in 2003, 2004 and 2009.

Kreutzmann collaborated with Journey guitarist Neal Schon, Sy Klopps, Ira Walker, and Ralph Woodson to form the Trichromes in 2002. They released an EP, ''Dice with the Universe'', and an album, ''Trichromes''.

On December 17, 2005, Kreutzmann participated in the 17th Annual Warren Haynes Christmas Jam as the drummer for SerialPod, a group which also included Phish members Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon.

During 2006, Kreutzmann teamed up with fellow Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, former Phish bassist Mike Gordon, and former The Other Ones guitarist Steve Kimock to form the Rhythm Devils. The band features songs from their respective former bands as well as new songs written by Jerry Garcia's songwriting companion Robert Hunter. The Rhythm Devils played their first tour in 2006, which ended at the popular Vegoose festival in Las Vegas, Nevada over the Halloween weekend. In 2008 they released a DVD called ''The Rhythm Devils Concert Experience''.

In 2008, Bill Kreutzmann toured the eastern United States with bassist Oteil Burbridge of the Allman Brothers Band and guitarist Scott Murawski of Max Creek as BK3. In 2009 Oteil Burbridge was replaced by James Hutchinson. In February 2010 the trio played several concerts, with Burbridge again assuming the bassist role.

On August 2, 2009, Kreutzmann played with Phish during most of the 2nd set at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

In 2010, Kreutzmann formed a new band, called 7 Walkers, with guitarist Papa Mali, multi-instrumentalist Matt Hubbard, and bassist Reed Mathis. They toured the southern U.S. in the spring of 2010, with George Porter, Jr. playing bass while Mathis toured with Tea Leaf Green. 7 Walkers has recorded a studio album which is scheduled to be released on November 2, 2010.

Visual arts

In 1995, Kreutzmann produced a video called ''Ocean Spirit''. The video is a documentary about the ocean ecosystem, and has a strong environmental message.

Kreutzmann also does work as a visual artist and, in 2001, began releasing limited edition reproductions of his digital artwork. His work can be found at Walnut Street Gallery.

Personal life

Bill Kreutzmann's daughter Stacy is married and has two children. Kreutzmann's son Justin is a film and video director. He directed ''Backstage Pass'', a 35 minute Grateful Dead music documentary video that was released in 1992, and ''Dead Ringers: The Making of Touch of Grey'', a 30 minute documentary released in 1987. In 2001 Justin assisted in the early stages of ''An Ox's Tale'', a documentary about the late John Entwistle, bassist for The Who. Currently he maintains a blog called "Rock and Reel", which covers rock history and his current projects. Already having worked on numerous projects with Pete Townshend, he is the chief cameraman for Townshend's partner Rachel Fuller. Justin's most recent works are ''Rock 'n' Roll Band'', a concert film of the music group Tea Leaf Green, and a film titled ''Fragments'', a documentary of The Who's 2006–2007 tour. On Friday October 29, 2010, Bill Kreutzmann endorsed Proposition 19, which would have legalized marijuana in California. Kreutzmann made the endorsement on The California Marijuana Report radio show. "I smoke marijuana and I'm not a criminal; please vote YES on 19," Kreutzmann told Eric Brenner, the show's host. "Jerry Garcia would have voted YES," he added. http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2010/10/grateful_deads_bill_kreutzmann_endorses_prop_19_le.php

Discography

As band leader:

''Backbone'' – Backbone (1999)

''Dice with the Universe'' (EP) – The Trichromes (2002)

''Trichromes'' – The Trichromes (2002)

''7 Walkers'' – 7 Walkers (2010)

The Grateful Dead:

The Rhythm Devils:

''The Rhythm Devils Play River Music'' (1980)

''The Apocalypse Now Sessions'' (1991)

''The Rhythm Devils Concert Experience'' (DVD) (2008)

With other artists:

''Blows Against The Empire'' – Paul Kantner and Jefferson Starship (1970)

''If I Could Only Remember My Name'' – David Crosby (1971)

''James and the Good Brothers'' – James and the Good Brothers, 1971

''Powerglide'' – New Riders of the Purple Sage (1971)

''Garcia'' – Jerry Garcia (1972)

''Graham Nash and David Crosby'' – Graham Nash and David Crosby (1972)

''Ace'' – Bob Weir (1972)

''Demon In Disguise'' – David Bromberg (1972)

''The Rowan Brothers'' – The Rowan Brothers (1972)

''Fire Up'' – Merl Saunders (1973)

''Wanted Dead Or Alive'' – David Bromberg (1974)

''Reflections'' – Jerry Garcia (1976)

''Texican Badman'' – Peter Rowan (1980)

''Livin' the Life'' – The Rowan Brothers (1980)

''A Wing and a Prayer'' – Matt Kelly (1987)

''Retrospective Dreams'' – RJ Fox (1991)

''Fire Up Plus'' – Merl Saunders (1992)

''Fiesta Amazonica'' – Merl Saunders and the Rainforest Band (1998)

''Live at the Fillmore – Denver'' (DVD) – The String Cheese Incident (2003)

''Now and Then'' – The Rowan Brothers (2004)

''Out Beyond Ideas'' – David Wilcox and Nance Pettit (2005)

''The Green Sparrow'' – Mike Gordon (2008)

Notes

References

[ Bill Kreutzmann biography on Allmusic]

Bill Kreutzmann discography on DeadDisc.com

"About Bill Kreutzmann", RememberJerry.com

Bruner, Sarah. "Just a Guy Who Plays Drums: An Interview with Bill Kreutzmann", JamBands.com, March 1999

McKinley, Mike. "Conversation with Bill Kreutzmann", State of Mind Music, May 27, 2008

McNally, Dennis (2002). ''A Long Strange Trip: The Inside Story of the Grateful Dead''. Broadway Books. ISBN 0-7679-1185-7.

Corbett, Ben. "Grateful Dead Drummer: In the Key of Kreutzmann", ''Crawdaddy!'', May 22, 2009

Rock and Reel website

Bill Kreutzmann Artwork at Walnut Street Gallery

Perry, Shawn. "The Bill Kreutzmann Interview", vintagerock.com

External links

Bill Kreutzmann official website

Grateful Dead official website

Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:American rock drummers Category:Grateful Dead members Category:People from the San Francisco Bay Area Category:Musicians from California

de:Bill Kreutzmann fr:Bill Kreutzmann nn:Bill Kreutzmann

Coordinates	52°26′54″N15°35′18″N
Name	George Porter, Jr.
Landscape	yes
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	George Porter, Jr.
Born	December 26, 1947New Orleans, LouisianaUnited States
Instrument	Bass, vocals
Genre	R&B, New Orleans, Funk
Occupation	Musician, songwriter
Years active	1965-present
Label	Rounder, Transvideo
Associated acts	The MetersThe Runnin' PardnersPorter Batiste StoltzThe Trio (with Johnny Vidacovich)7 Walkers, New Orleans Social Club
Website	http://www.georgeporterjr.com/ }}

George Porter, Jr. (born December 26, 1947 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is a musician best known as the bassist and singer of The Meters. Along with Art Neville, Porter formed the group in the mid 60's and came to be recognized as one of the progenitors of funk. The Meters disbanded in 1977, but reformed in 1989. Today the group is called the Funky Meters, and Porter is still a member.

He had been active in playing with his own group the Runnin' Pardners, and also other projects such as The Trio with Johnny Vidacovich, New Orleans Social Club, and Deep Fried but is now focusing his efforts on his own band Porter Batiste Stoltz. He is frequently in demand, and has been performing and recording with wide range of artists including Dr. John, Paul McCartney, Robbie Robertson, Willy DeVille, Robert Palmer, Patti Labelle, Jimmy Buffett, David Byrne, Johnny Adams, Harry Connick Jr., Earl King, Warren Haynes, Tori Amos, and Snooks Eaglin among many others.

Porter joined John Scofield's Piety Street Band in 2008 to tour and to record. Jon Cleary and Ricky Fataar are also members of this band.

In 2010 replaced Reed Mathis in Bill Kreutzmann's newest band, 7 Walkers.

Also in 2010 He is performing with Runnin' Pardner at New Orleans' Voodoo Experience

Discography

''Runnin Pardners'' (1990), Rounder

''Things Ain't What They Used to Be'' (1994)

''Count On You'' (1994) - Japan release

''Funk This'' (1997), Transvideo - EP

''Funk 'n' Go Nuts'' (2000), Transvideo

''We Came To Play'' (2003) - as Johnny Vidacovich, June Yamagishi and George Porter Jr.

''Searching For A Joyride'' (2005), Night Train

''Expanding The Funkin Universe'' (2007), OUW Records - as Porter Batiste Stoltz

''It's Life'' (2007), Transvideo

References

External links

George Porter, Jr. official website

Porter Batiste Stoltz Official Website

George Porter interview from HonestTune.com

Category:American bass guitarists Category:American funk musicians Category:Musicians from New Orleans, Louisiana Category:African American musicians Category:American male singers Category:People from New Orleans, Louisiana Category:American rhythm and blues bass guitarists Category:1947 births Category:Living people

es:George Porter, Jr. ja:ジョージ・ポーターJr.