The first national voice of Mali was Boubacar Traore, a vocalist and guitarist who played an African version of the blues. He didn't record his music until he moved to France in 1989, but Mariama (1990), with five songs over six minutes, was a powerful revelation, revealing the desert origins of the blues. Karkar (1992), Secheresse (1994), Sa Golo (1996) and Macire (1999) were like stages of a long calm inner journey, where his vocals intersect a guitar that sounds like a kora. Je Chanterai pour Toi (2003) is a self-celebrating film soundtrack.