Ali Kamiya was born in Bankass, Mali, a descendant of the Malinke' & Fulani tribe.
Travel and cultural exploration began early for Ali; his father and grandfather worked as healers, traders and translators in addition to tending crops at home. Ali speaks English, Fulbe, Dogon, Bambara, and French. He took an early interest in the performing arts, singing for his family and acting in a traditional theater group in Bankass.

Ali left home at age 12 and worked as a guide to foreigners visiting Dogon country. He moved between the homes of relatives in Mopti, Bandiagara, and Djenne -- all rich cultural towns well north of the Malian capital, Bamako. At age 18, Ali went to Bamako, where most foreigners begin Malian travels, and built his reputation as a guide across West Africa. But Ali never gave up on music. His mission was to perform. In 1996, he dedicated himself to music at last. In Bamako, he put together a group consisting of childhood friends from Bankass. The group presented a brisk and original blend of musical genres with an emphasis on Fulani and ethnic music. They quickly earned the support of the local cultural powers. Harouna Barry, the director of Badema National du Mali, helped the group make its first recording. Ali and his group preformed at the prestigious French Cultural Center. Then Ali organized a three-day festival that brought together European tourists, locals, and villagers. Some there had never seen anything like it.

Ali moved to the United States in 1999 to pursue his music. Living in Los Angeles, he has traveled widely in the U.S. and learned English. He put together a band with other West Africans based in California and continues to perform with various artists. Ali has recorded on the CD entitled "Leaves from the Tree; A Tribute to Songs of Peter Gabriel" and on the "Freedom Now" cut by various artists. He also has recorded and performed with George Clinton.

He sings movingly about the needs of families, especially mothers and children in Africa and the world. He sings of his sense of destiny, and laws, both of man and God. His profound religious faith and his sense of social justice come through repeatedly. Even without explanation or translation, Ali's voice, his passionate music and his ability to channel ancient Malian knowledge deliver a powerful, universal message. Wherever Ali travels, he feels the ancestors of that place. They speak to him with music, with history, with knowledge and wisdom. His are some of the most enlightening and inspirational songs to emerge from the U.S. via Mali in recent years.

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