Blur and Gorillaz frontman sets release date for Malian music
Damon Albarn will release his collaboration with Malian musicians on April 1.
In July 2000, the Blur and Gorillaz frontman travelled to Mali for Oxfam's On The Line project.
While in the West African state, Albarn met and played with the musicians.
They recorded over 40 hours of music which he later edited in his London studio.
Mali Music is the first album release on Honest Jon's Records.
It will be preceded by a 12-inch remix by house DJ Phil Asher.
According to Albarn, the idea behind the release "is to set up loads of dialogues between this music and other music that I love.
"I'm sick of the cultural self-assurance you get in the West," said Albarn.
"I want to get everyone into Malian music."
He hooked up with enthusiastic amateurs as well as master-musicians such as Toumani Diabaté and Lobi Traoré.
