A read-through of the songwriters whose tunes comprise Music Is Love provides a handy roadmap to understanding where Papa Mali and producer John Chelew were coming from when they put this outstanding album together. Representing the blues side are Mississippi Fred McDowell, Lead Belly and Mississippi John Hurt, whose “Spikedriver” is swampy and greasy and will give you the shivers. Joni Mitchell, Randy Newman and David Crosby—who provides the album with its mesmerizing, mantra-like title track—speak to Mali’s affection for classic-rock-era, folk-based craftsmanship. Al Green’s “I’m A Ram” and New Orleans author Louis Maistros’ “Go Down Water” are reminders that Southern soul runs deep in this artist’s New Orleans-via-Mississippi blood. And the few tracks credited, all or in part, to M. Welbourne (M. being Malcolm, Malcolm being Mr. Mali) nod as a group to the diversity that defines Mali’s music. Don’t try to pin this guy down; it just doesn’t work.