mali — Concert Reviews — Sophie Darling

15.01.18

Nells jazz & Blues (South Kensington)

When I was faced with the opportunity to go to Vieux Farka Touré’s show in the South of London I was ecstatic. For me, the musical legacy of Vieux’s pioneering father; Ali Farka Touré would have been enough in itself, however the beautiful albums that have preceded Vieux Farka Tourés musical career make it clear that Vieux is expressing an innovative and personal style, differing from his fathers, but still remaining within the legacy.

A quick note on the legacy of Ali Farka Touré (1939-2006). Touré is one of Africa’s most internationally renowned artists. Ali Farka Touré took the electric guitar, so far belonging to the American blues, and innovated an eclectic genre combining West African musical traditions with the blues. All the while arguing that the blues is historically derived from African musical traditions anyway. In this sense, by playing the African blues and being one of the first Malian musicians to take his music out of Mali and take it global, out of Africa, Ali Farka Touré managed to attain some African ownership over blues music, that had previously been incorrectly and wholly associated globally within a purely American context. This thus changed the face and historical make-up of North West African music from an outsiders perspective, and from an insiders, created a new platform of music making.

Ali Farka Touré was born into a family of warriors, not musicians. In Mali and much of North/West African traditions, musicians are born into their musical families, and thus learn hereditarily, these families and musicians are called ‘griots’ or ‘jeli’ and they become the leading authoritative on all things to do with their instruments, be it a Kora or a Balafon, or percussion such as a calabash. Neither Ali nor Vieux were born into this griot family, and so it was quite strange at first to have an non-jeli learn the musical ways. However, after some convincing Ali Farka Touré allowed Vieux to learn to be a musician after family friend Toumani Diabaté convinced Ali. Diabaté being a famous Malian griot family learned in the Kora.

Since Vieux began a debut album, of which his father Ali features as well as Toumani Diabaté. Vieux’s father sadly died in 2006 before the completion of the album, however was noted to have been proud, and listened to the self titled album ‘Vieux Farka Touré’ whilst waiting peacefully to pass. Vieux also decided to continue his fathers charitable legacy by donating 10% of all proceeds from his debut to the Modiba’s “Fight Malaria” campaign in Niafunké.

Vieux has since has a lustrous career touring and playing all manor of festivals and releasing over 5 studio albums, and plenty of live renditions as well as opening the FIFA World Cup in South African in 2010 as well as many other honourable appearances and collaborations.

It is on this Saturday night in lovely South London however, that in an intimate 200 capacity venue, Vieux Farka Touré has travelled from Mali to play his first ever solo show. Having never played without fellow musicians, Vieux reflected on stage:

“I remember when I was in school, very young, and my father comes to get me out of school and says ‘you are coming with me, do you want to come with me to play around the world” to which I replied… of course” Vieux spoke with a clear conviction, drawing the entire audience into his stories and pauses at comically pleasing moments, creating a reaction of laughs. He smiles cheekily and continues, enjoying the rapport.

“When we got to the stage, we look out at 500 people, and he says ‘Ok, you go on stage now. Play three songs and you open for me’”

Vieux jokes about how nervous he was, and how his three songs must have lasted 4 minutes in total..

“My point is, is that that was my first time I played in front of people, and here I am about to play for the first time by self, here in London, or ever. Thank you for being a part of this”.

From this introduction, the evening was set to be something special. Another way in which the energy of the evening was mapped out by our host, is in his unusual request the audience sit on the floor.

Nells Jazz & Blues is a intimate venue, with a small but special 200 capacity, a slight raised level from the entrance and with the bar and some seating tables on the outskirts and with a small standing pit hugging around the stage. Vieux’s request we sit on the floor came as the audience, whilst waiting, were perched on the floor. Upon standing for Vieux’s appearance on stage, he quickly suggested we all sat again so that the entire audience would have a chance at a descent view and in order for “everyone to feel like we are at home together”. This was met with rounds of applause and support, and thus, the entire audience found a seat on the floor, ensuring a sacred view for all.

The stage at Nells is set for serious music. With home made signs everywhere saying “shhhhhhh when the music is playing” and with no fancy back drops, no crazy light show, very little, if not anything to distract from the artist and their music. This set up must be regular for the venue as it is held in very high respect, thus is known for attracting a serious music lovers demographic. Not a venue to go and listen to background music, nor a venue to go and chat throughout. This in mind, as Vieux started to play, the audience obeyed and sat in near silence whilst the distinct saharan blues guitar sounds resonated throughout the small intimate room.

Vieux and his guitar.

From 8:30pm- 10:30pm we were treated to beautiful original compositions, songs for his wife, songs of travelling, but also dedications and odes to his father Ali Farka Touré. Vieux played the his electric acoustic guitar in the ways that are distinctive to the legacy of him and his father. The sounds of playing kora pieces on a 6 string guitar, such as playing the bass consistently throughout with the thumb on the bass strings, and thus adding the cyclical melodic variants on the higher three strings. Playing in slight variations of the pentatonic scale lends the blues to the tonality.

He told us that all of his family where here at the gig to hear him play his first solo gig, perhaps they could be noticed as one of those unable to stop dancing and smiling for one single beat throughout the show.

What struck me was the crips sound of Vieux’s guitar. With such clear character, almost metallic, perhaps likening to the West African tradition of adding a ‘buzz’ aesthetic to their instruments, the effect definitely lends favour to the long instrumental pulsating guitar lines. All while singing in his deep, almost husky voice with lyrics in his native tongue.

Whilst Vieux’s easy flowing chat and laughters made for an easy and pleasant ride between songs, he also light heartedly brought up the issue of visas, and how increasingly difficult it is for Malian (and world wide) musicians to attain these days, thus threatening performances.

“In the old days, my father would say… Here you come with me, and he ring would up his friends say “me and my son need passports” and within ten minutes they come over with a passport and visas for me and my father *laughter*…. But now…It is so hard, this is a BIG ISSUE”.

Vieux also shared some personal stories about how he started to become a musician. Telling of how originally his father didn’t like the idea due to the struggles he had faced, however later agreed and enrolled him in music school. It was here that originally Vieux started to learn the calabash before moving onto kora, then guitar. He told us how his grandfather had always encouraged him musically and had once brought him “a very big hat… and a very big calabash”. At this moment I look at the navy blue porkpie hat sat cool-y on the neck of his Fender electric guitar and I wonder if this hat was similar to the one his grandfather gave him.

Vieux played and smiled and laughed with the audience for over two hours. Nothing but a man, his voice and the unbelievable guitar playing of the ‘Farka Tourés. As the last song started Vieux decided that everyone could stand up for the final tune in order to dance together, happily the audience obliged.

I thoroughly loved the concert, for me it felt like a vey special evening. An opportunity to see live an original performance that might never be replicated, and musically and historically, such an important and imperative figure in the changing face of African music. Such innovative and noticeable guitar playing that his father pioneered, to see Vieux Farka Touré play his repertoire so soulfully was an honour. Furthermore the venue: Nells Jazz & Blues is a wonderful venue to host such superior and important music.

9.3.17

Electric Brixton

I had been lucky enough to see Tinariwen last year at Islington Assembly Hall, and have ever since known I would see them at every possible opportunity. All Tinariwens albums seemed to have captured the ears of nearly the whole world (be it 22 years after the original formation of the band), taking huge critical acclaim, the last two albums have been listed in Songlines Magazines top albums of 2016 AND 2017 (so far), as well as their ‘Top 25 Mali Albums’. It is no surprise that both the bands dates in London sold out way before the actual concerts. Last year Tinariwen played 42 gigs over the space of nine months, and have come back this year with an immense tour of 48 gigs strong, in the space of just three months. It certainly seems that this was the hot ticket in town to have.

I arrived at the fabulous Electric Brixton half way through the opening act ‘Dengue Fever’ who were serving up delightful, danceable tracks reminding me some what of psychedelic folk music. Although they were a great act, they finished their set with very little drama, and made way for the main performance. I just managed to get a good standing space before the crowd thickened to the point of that ‘sardine’ like audience we all know too well. The lights set on the stage were actually rather beautiful, with light yellows, oranges and reds, combined with blue hues, the scene was set for a Saharan adventure.

I had done a little reading on Tinariwen before this concert in order to understand further their backgrounds and origins, normally I wouldn’t go in to such depth with the background of a band, however once I had opened pandoras box, it seemed prudent to re-tell at least the highlights of the colourful background that seems so ‘worlds away’ and alien to ironically the majority of Tinariwens listeners. So forgive me, but I shall now indulge into a little background of the band in order to better understand the importance of their performance.

Known by many as the ‘godfathers’ of ‘Sub-saharan Blues’, the members hail from the Sahara Desert in Northern Mali, however have all lived in various other places, due to being repeatedly displaced. They are known as the ‘rock’n’roll rebels’ or ‘the true rebels’ having been forced to live in exile and live life as a refugees. The members of Tinariwen are all Tuareg people. The Tuareg people live primarily in the Saharan desert stretching over all North Africa, they are also from a Berber community. The backgrounds to these musicians, unfortunately see’s atrocious acts of war and violence.

The leader of the band Ibrahim Ag Alhabib formed Tinariwen back in 1979, and has since come so far with the music that most familiarises ‘Desert-Blues’ to western ears. Ag Alhabib is said to have made his first guitar from merely a tin can, a stick and a bicycle brake wire; as all good rock’n’roll blues tales do. Ag Alhabib then met Alhassane Ag Touhami and brothers Inteyeden Ag Ablil and Liya Ag Ablil in the late 1970’s. They together explored ‘protest’ musics and ‘rebel’ musics against uprisings, they were here known as ‘The Desert Boys’ or ‘Kel Tinariwen’. From there, they then completed the line-up, by meeting Keddou Ag Ossade, Mohammed Ag Itlale, Sweiloum, Abouhadid, and Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni at a nine-month army training enlistment.

Tinariwen then built a makeshift studio, and vowed to record music for free, to anyone who could supply them with blank cassette tapes. For the next twenty years, the resulting tapes were traded widely throughout the Sahara region, using the trading routes that the Bermer Tuareg people have been using for centuries. They since have been recording tracks that bring to light the issues and the political injustices brought to the Tuareg people, thus making them ‘rebel musicians’ in the eyes of the oppressor. Furthermore, in 1990, the Tuareg people rose up in revolt against the Malian government, and consequently members of Tinariwen were enlisted and fought as rebels against the oppressive regime.

Sadly the story doesn’t lighten from there, although adorning global success, after their fifth album ‘Tassili’ won Best World Music Album at the Grammy Awards in 2012, the band were displaced once again from their home region of Northern Mali, and furthermore, their guitarist Abdallah ag Lamida was actually abducted by Islamist militants. The extremities that this band have had to fight constantly against in order to continue playing their music is in a very real sense dangerous for them. It is for this reason, among others, that their music can be described as a ‘revolutionary language’.

This discomfort is so far fetched to the western listener, whilst Tinariwen have been playing their version of the guitar led ‘Assouf’ music of their people, their songs that have been endangering their lives in order to raise awareness of inhuman treatments. Unable to understand the lyrics, for many of us, Tinariwen is simply an introduction to desert blues music, but beneath is so very much more.

This is why, as I stood there waiting for Tinariwen to join the stage, I became overwhelmed with a grateful feeling, that I get to see these physical and political warriors perform their brave, innovative music live, in the flesh.

Not only have their albums brought an entire genre of music into the lime-light, they have been received with such popularity, it’s as though they have created a whole new sound that we can just not get enough off.

As they took to the stage, they opened with a mellow, tone-setting tune, after which joining and completing the line-up, came Ibrahim Ag Alhabib. A raucous applause swept through the venue, a far longer applause than average, and continued into their set. They from there played nearly (as far as I could tell) all the songs from their latest two albums, keeping the tone and energy flowing from song to song.

Visually the band looked amazing, in their traditional cloths of the Tuareg people, with the lights reflecting that desert aesthetic, one could almost feel transported to the funky mellow vibes of the desert. Each member of the band had a chance to show off their individual skills, each taking a turn to lead guitar and vocals. The overall sound I found also had been mixed to a quieter level than usual for such a venue. I wondered if this was a thoughtful move from the band; as the result was a smoothing wave of constant music.

They seamlessly played for two hours working each track perfectly with one another, keeping an absolute consistent groove throughout. Their energy was infectious, consequently an accompanying rhythmic ‘clap’ could be heard from the audience for near on the whole gig. Also I noticed many people attempting to dance as the Tinariwen members dances. For a thicker description on the dancing, I would suggest watching some live footage of the band, perhaps from their appearance at ‘Womad’ Festival (2015).

Overall, the energy, the visuals and most importantly the deep, crisp perfected sound of their music made for an unforgettable performance. I left the venue feeling humbled, and ecstatic at the evening I felt honoured to have been apart off.

All Tinariwen music can be found on all platforms, and remaining tour dates can be found on their website. Don’t hesitate to snap a ticket up if you get the chance!