Baaba Maal

Even in the 20-plus years that Senegalese singer Baaba Maal's been around, it's a tall order to progress from traditional West African music to a sound heavy on modern electronics. For Maal, this isn't a cut-and-dried choice: The meditative Afro-blues of Djam Leelii (an '80s collaboration with Senegalese guitarist Mansour Seck) still linger on Maal's most recent album, 2009's Television (a collaboration with New York's world-tronic-pop collagists Brazilian Girls). The word "eclectic" tends to imply that some elements work at the expense of others, but Maal's incredibly patient command over a melody encourages companionship, not compromise, between traditional warmth and modern polish. Those who prefer the free-floating effect of koras and group vocals will still prefer 2001's Missing You. Still, for all his reach, Maal's never lost his way.

Updated 03/29/2010