Malawi Mouse Boys

During a talent-seeking trip to Southern Africa in 2011, producer Ian Brennan (Tinariwen) came upon a group of young men selling cooked mice on sticks to passersby outside of a small rural village in Malawi. One man had a rudimentary guitar made from pieces of scrap metal and, with some gentle coaxing, Brennan had soon convinced him to play a song. Alfred Gavanala, the shy young guitarist, began to quietly strum a melodic, uplifting song he'd written and was soon joined by the crowd surrounding him who knew the words. Inspired by the performance, Brennan asked if Gavanala had ...