El_Jeffe
02/17/10, 04:05 PM
In my opinion this man is the absolute high point of blues, although his music goes above & beyond such short-sighted classification. Ali is a self-taught guitarist & singer from Mali, the birthplace of the blues. Traditional Mali music is essentially the blueprint to modern American blues, from an instrumental standpoint. American blues vocals take influence from many nations within Africa. Ali learned very easily & naturally to play guitar, but at times suffered strong illness & visions through what his family believed to be "contact with the spirit world". He was sent away to be cured & when he returned he quickly became recognised for his power to communicate with the spirits, something he looked to develop through music.
During the 90's is when Ali really made a name for himself. After years of playing through Africa & the USA Ali had met a number a musical talents & began to write & record his climactic & acclaimed works. However during the decade Ali abandoned music in order to tend to his farm, in his native Timbuktu. His producer managed to convince him his musical gift was to be crafted/explored & to return to his guitar. After this, he recorded the famous CD Talking Timbuktu with American guitarist Ry Cooder. A a must listen art piece as far as I'm concerned.
Despite the success with Talking Timbuktu, Ali wasn't willing to leave his rice farm in Mali to record another album. Producer Nick Gold had to set up the equipment in an abandoned brick hall in Niafunke, Mali, using portable equipment & gasoline generators to compensate for the fact that Ali's hometown has no power lines. The crew had to wait till Ali was done with his chores & ready to play the guitar. Ali said: "We were in the middle of the landscape which inspired the music & that in turn inspired myself & the musicians. . . . In the West, perhaps this music is just entertainment & I don't expect people to understand."
With a posthumous release of more material (Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté - Ali & Toumani) just seeing the light of day I hoped to find others who enjoy his powerful music.
http://www.myspace.com/alifarkatoureofficial
Any fans, share some love & discussion?
During the 90's is when Ali really made a name for himself. After years of playing through Africa & the USA Ali had met a number a musical talents & began to write & record his climactic & acclaimed works. However during the decade Ali abandoned music in order to tend to his farm, in his native Timbuktu. His producer managed to convince him his musical gift was to be crafted/explored & to return to his guitar. After this, he recorded the famous CD Talking Timbuktu with American guitarist Ry Cooder. A a must listen art piece as far as I'm concerned.
Despite the success with Talking Timbuktu, Ali wasn't willing to leave his rice farm in Mali to record another album. Producer Nick Gold had to set up the equipment in an abandoned brick hall in Niafunke, Mali, using portable equipment & gasoline generators to compensate for the fact that Ali's hometown has no power lines. The crew had to wait till Ali was done with his chores & ready to play the guitar. Ali said: "We were in the middle of the landscape which inspired the music & that in turn inspired myself & the musicians. . . . In the West, perhaps this music is just entertainment & I don't expect people to understand."
With a posthumous release of more material (Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté - Ali & Toumani) just seeing the light of day I hoped to find others who enjoy his powerful music.
http://www.myspace.com/alifarkatoureofficial
Any fans, share some love & discussion?