This soundtrack to the PBS television series written and presented by Henry Louis Gates Jr. is a survey of some of the musical styles of Africa. It starts with an example of South African mbaqanga (Dilika's "Ngayishela Yavuma," from the 1987 album Homeland) and continues through the rhythmic music of Mali (Boubacar Traore's "Soundiata" and Ali Farka Toure's "Jungou") and the Middle Eastern styles of the Egyptian region of Nubia (Slamat's "Wainek") and the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar (Mila Na Utamaduni and the Cultural Music Club's "Bashraf Salama"). These indigenous contributions are interspersed with several newly recorded tracks by a multinational quintet consisting of Steve Spiro, Paul Wickens, J. Legwabe, Malinga Saul, and Pinise Saul that draws on the same traditions. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide