Cheb Mami is one of the classic masters of Algerian Raï. Meli Meli was his first album to hit an audience outside of Algeria, although he did not receive wide fame until he appeared on Sting’s “Desert Rose.” Such lack of attention is unjustified: Cheb Mami’s music is excellent in its own right, and he belongs in the same category as Khaled, Rachid Taha, Faudel, and so on.