Exposure to traditional African music is limited in the western hemisphere so it is always a pleasant surprise when a recording is released, especially when it is a solid, well above average effort.

Madison Ramsey, 12, sings during the talent show at Oran Downtown Daze on Saturday in Oran, Mo. This is the first year for the community festival, which featured food, music, arts and crafts, the ...

As the open air arias of grilling cicadas and bustling barbecues mix in with the distant thumping of convertibles to announce the new solstice, what better than a hot, mellifluously ornate African ...