April 22, 2007
tinariwen
Who’s the world’s grooviest band at the moment? My vote would go to Tinariwen, from Mali, in the Southern Sahara. Their style of music being affectionately known as “Berber Blues”. Haunting, trance-inducing and deep. Led Zepplin’s lead singer, Robert Plant described their music “Like dropping a bucket into a deep well”.
Here’s their backstory from the BBC. And a great YouTube video of them playing their biggest hit, “Amassakoul ‘N’ Tenere”.
Or if you are feeling really adventurous, you can go see them play at the Tuareg “Festival in The Desert”, which they helped create. Hope you know how to ride a camel. Here’s the Festival backstory from The Guardian.
[Bonus Link:] Tinariwen playing another great number, “Amidiwan” on YouTube.
Enjoy.
Totally with you Hugh — Tinariwen are stunning. I’m going to see them in Bristol in May.
I’ve been trying to plan a trip to the Festival in the Desert for a few years but something always gets in the way — there’s a great documentary about it from a few years ago and it looks pretty incredible. I’m sure I’ll make it sometime.
Funny how these things go. I recently read about these guys in a magazine, and now you’re talking about them. Two events that are quite unrelated – talk about an ideavirus…
nah, I will not believe in this hype.
Tinariwen, or is it really New Iran IT?
Hey Hugh — thanks for the pointer. Just went and listened in and sounded good. Ordered. Cheers!
oooh, this is fantastic stuff. thank you!
this is the second band you recommended recently that i loved.
Thanks for the recommendation, they’re great!
I was excited by their blurb, caught their set at the Cambridge Folk Festival a couple of years ago, but was disappointed by their dull desert drone. My partner and I agreed they were “interesting” — which is slightly damning.
Fair enough, Richard. I happen to LOVE the drone you speak of. And the bass playing I find absolutely stunning.
Top Work, fella. Impeccable taste.
One of my all time faves is also Malian. In fact playing right now…
“In the Heart of the moon” is a beautiful chilled collection of improvised guitar and kora duets by the late Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate. Sounds really wanky but spell-binding.
Am planning the Desert Festival myself this year. Friends went last time and had a ball…
Top Work, fella. Impeccable taste.
One of my all time faves is also Malian. In fact playing right now…
“In the Heart of the moon” is a beautiful chilled collection of improvised guitar and kora duets by the late Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate. Sounds really wanky but spell-binding.
Am planning the Desert Festival myself this year. Friends went last time and had a ball…
would love to hear taj mahal with these guys. he’s done a lot with bands from mali in the past.
top post Hugh — especially as I enjoy wearing my Berber djellaba in Scotland; it’s a Blue Monster ‘blue’ — quite traditional.
You should get Steve Ball to do a jam session with them.
Bookmarked because they really are that good.
So true Hugh, a real discovery. I saw them at the Big Chill in 2005 and they were just incredible.