Talking Timbuktu

Talking Timbuktu is the 1994 collaboration album between Malian guitarist Ali Farka Touré and American guitarist/producer Ry Cooder. The guitar riff from the song "Diaraby" was selected for the Geo-quiz segment of The World PRI-BBC radio program and was retained by popular demand when put to a vote by the listeners. In 2009, the album was awarded a gold certification from the Independent Music Companies Association which indicated sales of at least 100,000 copies throughout Europe.^[2]

Talking Timbuktu
Studio album by Ali Farka Touré with Ry Cooder
Released	March 29, 1994
Recorded	Sep 1993
Genre	Malian folk, hip hop
Length	59:59
Label	World Circuit
Producer	Ry Cooder
Ali Farka Touré with Ry Cooder chronology
The Source (1993) Talking Timbuktu (1994) Radio Mali (1996)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Reception

The album features in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die and received the Grammy Award for Best World Music album of 1994.

Track listing

1. "Bonde" (Peul) – 5:28
2. "Soukora" (Bambara) – 6:05
3. "Gomni" (Songhai) – 7:00
4. "Sega" (Peul) – 3:10
5. "Amandrai" (Tamasheck) – 9:22
6. "Lasidan" (Bambara) – 6:06
7. "Keito" (Songhai) – 5:42
8. "Banga" (Songhai) – 2:32
9. "Ai Du" (Songhai) – 7:09
10. "Diaraby" (Bambara) – 7:25

(Languages listed in parentheses after each title, as credited in the album liner notes^[3])

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States	—	238,000[4]

References

1. Talking Timbuktu at AllMusic
2. "color". www.impalamusic.org. Archived from the original on 2017-08-24.
3. "Ali Farka Toure With Ry Cooder – Talking Timbuktu". Discogs. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
4. "World's greatest". Billboard. 16 June 2007. Retrieved 28 April 2018.