ali farka toure - 10th anniversary

[johncorrigan]

Unbelievable to hear on the radio that it's 10 years since the death of the great Malian guitarist, Ali Farka Toure. Saw him a couple of times in Glasgow, once when I thought I was going to see somebody else...utterly mesmerising performer.

Here's something from the web:
To commemorate the tenth anniversary of his death, Ali Farka Touré will be celebrated in his native Mali with a series of events over the weekend of 5th March. These will include an all-star concert in Bamako featuring Mali’s great stars, the final of a football tournament in his honour (Touré was a huge football fan), the laying of the foundation stone for Rue Ali Farka Touré, an exhibition at the National Museum and various other events. Earlier this week musical memorials took place in his home village of Niafunké in the north of Mali, which had until recently been occupied by jihadi forces who had banned music in much of the north of Mali.

Ali Farka Touré was unique in Malian music for his mastery of the country’s many distinctive regional styles and is revered as personifying the unity of the Malian people at this difficult time in Mali’s history.

Here is the great man with Boubacar Traore - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4-uq8cTF7o

...and there's still the tribute to Ali by Dr Duran and AK on the Radio 3 Archives from the late lamented World Routes series with contribution from Ry Cooder, among others.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p005xlbt

If you don't know anything about this giant of World Music, the programme is very entertaining, informative and the music wonderful.

[Lat-Literal]

Unbelievable to hear on the radio that it's 10 years since the death of the great Malian guitarist, Ali Farka Toure. Saw him a couple of times in Glasgow, once when I thought I was going to see somebody else...utterly mesmerising performer.

Here's something from the web:
To commemorate the tenth anniversary of his death, Ali Farka Touré will be celebrated in his native Mali with a series of events over the weekend of 5th March. These will include an all-star concert in Bamako featuring Mali’s great stars, the final of a football tournament in his honour (Touré was a huge football fan), the laying of the foundation stone for Rue Ali Farka Touré, an exhibition at the National Museum and various other events. Earlier this week musical memorials took place in his home village of Niafunké in the north of Mali, which had until recently been occupied by jihadi forces who had banned music in much of the north of Mali.

Ali Farka Touré was unique in Malian music for his mastery of the country’s many distinctive regional styles and is revered as personifying the unity of the Malian people at this difficult time in Mali’s history.

Here is the great man with Boubacar Traore - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4-uq8cTF7o

...and there's still the tribute to Ali by Dr Duran and AK on the Radio 3 Archives from the late lamented World Routes series with contribution from Ry Cooder, among others.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p005xlbt

If you don't know anything about this giant of World Music, the programme is very entertaining, informative and the music wonderful.

Many thanks JC for your important post.

I am listening to the programme now.

[CallMePaul]

I had not realised that it was so long since his death. I never heard him perform live but have a number of his recordings. I particularly enjoy his two late discs with Toumani Diabate, and also his early acoustic recordings.

Unfortunately few non-Malians will see the exhibition; the British Foreign Office and many other Western governments advise against "non-essential" travel to Mali, which means that tour companies will not go there and it is difficult for independent traverllers to get adequate insurance cover. Perhaps the Malian authorities can be persuaded to allow the exhibition to tour after its run at the National Museum in Basmako?

Alsa, is Late Junction planning a tribute?

[johncorrigan]

I had not realised that it was so long since his death. I never heard him perform live but have a number of his recordings. I particularly enjoy his two late discs with Toumani Diabate, and also his early acoustic recordings.

Unfortunately few non-Malians will see the exhibition; the British Foreign Office and many other Western governments advise against "non-essential" travel to Mali, which means that tour companies will not go there and it is difficult for independent traverllers to get adequate insurance cover. Perhaps the Malian authorities can be persuaded to allow the exhibition to tour after its run at the National Museum in Basmako?

Alsa, is Late Junction planning a tribute?

I e-mailed Wo3, Paul, to see if they'd play a couple of tunes...not sure if it's a live show on Friday. I think Verity's on LJ this week so she might play something and when I was listening to the programme from the Radio 3 archives it was also mentioned that Ivor Cutler had died the same week as Ali, so maybe we'll get a delight from him too this week.

It is interesting to wonder if Ali would have ever been found but for the chance encounter with his music by Kershaw in a Paris remainder bin and then his search to find the man. I got those Red and Green records when they were released 12 or 13 years back, but all Ali's records are well worth a listen. Savane is fantastic and the recordings with Toumani are total gems.

[johncorrigan]

I had a great time listening to the Ali's Red album in the car today. The older I get the better it sounds. Utterly wonderful; here's Timbindy in case you hadn't heard it in a while.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTxlDC93mXs