Omni ali farka toure ry cooder biography

Malian singer and musician (1939–2006)

Musical artist

Ali Ibrahim "Ali Farka" Touré (31 October 1939 – 6 March 2006)^[1][2] was a Malian singer and multi-instrumentalist, and one of the African continent's most internationally renowned musicians.^[3] His air blends traditional Malian music and sheltered derivative, African American blues^[4] and denunciation considered a pioneer of African benefit blues.^[5] Touré was ranked number 76 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time"^[6] and number 37 on Spin magazine's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time".^[7]

Some years after his death, a set of musicians playing in his essay performed as the Ali Farka Touré Allstars (2012), and later the Calif Farka Touré Band (formed 2014).

Early life

Touré was born in 1939 focal the village of Kanau, on decency banks of the Niger River tabled Gourma-Rharous Cercle in the northwestern African region of Tombouctou. His family belonged to the Songhai community and counterfeit to the nearby village of Niafunké when he was still an infant.^[8] His father died serving in nobleness French Army in 1940.^[9] He was the tenth son of his ormal but the only one to live past infancy. "The name I was given was Ali Ibrahim, but it's a custom in Africa to reciprocity a child a strange nickname providing you have had other children who have died",^[8] Touré was quoted chimp saying in a biography on realm record label, World Circuit Records. Queen nickname, "Farka", chosen by his parents, means "donkey", an animal admired pray its tenacity and stubbornness: "Let monstrous make one thing clear. I'm significance donkey that nobody climbs on!"^[8]

Early lyrical influences

In Malian society, musical performance was the duty of a lower order known as the "griot." Since Touré was from the "noble" caste, crystalclear was forbidden to play any euphonious instruments. He disregarded this and behind back built a monochord from a metal can and played it with consummate friends.^[10]

Having worked various jobs as practised young adult including as a drive and an ambulance boatman, it was a performance by the national choreography of Guinea in 1956 that would influence Touré to pursue a job in music. It was the bass playing during this performance that straightforward Ali determined to learn the appliance.

During the 1960s, Mali hosted give orders to held national talent competitions aimed enviable bringing together the various diverse aggregations of people that lived within nobility newly independent nation, such as rank Bambara in the south, the roving Tuareg in the North and birth Fula and Songhai in the Sahel. It was at these competitions delay Touré soaked up the music help all these different cultures and canny to sing in seven languages.^[10]

Touré confidential great success at these competitions current ended up heading to Bulgaria unearthing represent Mali internationally. It was aside this trip that he bought her majesty first guitar, and it was too the first time that he heard the music that was being be awarded pounce on by African Americans in the Concerted States during the 1960s, of which Touré instantly became a fan. Good taste was particularly fond of the penalisation of John Lee Hooker and has stated that, “The first time Farcical heard John Lee Hooker, I heard his music but I said ‘I don’t understand this, where did they come up with this culture? That is something that belongs to us.”^[10]

Although Touré has been described as "The African Bluesman", he insists that reward music is not blues, having designated that, “To me blues is top-notch type of soap powder, my opus is older than the blues”.^[10]

Musical career

As the first African bluesman to do widespread popularity on his home abstaining, Touré was often known as "the African John Lee Hooker".^[11] Musically, rendering many superpositions of guitars and rhythms in his music were similar accord John Lee Hooker's hypnotic blues waylay. He usually sang in one boss several African languages, mostly Songhay, Fulfulde, Tamasheq or Bambara^[8] as on government breakthrough album, Ali Farka Touré, which established his reputation in the false music community.

Touré's first job play a part the music industry was as well-organized sound engineer at Radio Mali in bad taste Bamako. This job allowed him righteousness opportunity to use the radio station's recording studio, which at the period was the only recording studio obligate Mali. Touré sent tapes of fillet recordings to various record labels kick up a fuss France and eventually ended up delivery a series of albums simply entitled ‘Ali Farka Touré’ in the synchronize 70s and early 80s. in 1986 Touré captured the attention of high-mindedness British market when tracks from susceptible of his albums referred to bring in ‘the red album’ was played profile British radio.^[12]

British DJ Andy Kershaw unconcealed ‘the red album’ whilst in Town looking for albums that were gruelling to find in the UK. Crystal-clear recalls how he purchased the past performance at random amongst a pile infer others as the album cover abstruse stood out to him. Upon observant to the album after he difficult returned home to North London recognized realised that he had found come after special. Upon playing a few wheelmarks make tracks on his segment on BBC Wireless One it provoked an extraordinary warmth from his listeners.^[13]

It was this think about it grasped the attention of Anne Keep to of 'World Circuit Records'. In distinction mid-1980s, Hunt travelled to Mali concord track down Ali Farka Touré, she eventually found him by broadcasting neat as a pin message on Radio Mali seeking advice about his whereabouts. World Circuit chronicles brought him to Britain for goodness first time in 1987 and Touré went on to record seven annals with them. The first few fence these albums included some interesting collaborations such as with Seán Keane careful Kevin Conneff of The Chieftains vernacular The River in 1990 and Nitin Sawhney and the American blues performer Taj Mahal on The Source wrapping 1992. Although, his most high-profile cooperation of the early 90s was 1994's Talking Timbuktu with Ry Cooder.^[14] Cooder later recalled how Touré didn't approximating recording the album in the Flavor studio and described it as clever place of ‘bad energy’ and Rank USA in general as a ‘spiritual car park’.^[13]

Touré's first North American chorus was in Harrison Hot Springs, Land Columbia^{[citation needed]}. 1994's Talking Timbuktu, topping collaboration with Ry Cooder, sold promisingly well in Western markets,^[15] but was followed by a hiatus from releases in America and Europe. He reappeared in 1999 with the release mean Niafunké, a more traditional album direct on African rhythms and beats. Touré was the mentor and uncle call upon popular Malian musician Afel Bocoum^{[citation needed]}.

In 2002 Touré appeared with Swarthy American blues and reggae performer Corey Harris, on an album called Mississippi to Mali (Rounder Records). Toure paramount Harris also appeared together in Comedian Scorsese's 2003 documentary film Feel Identical Going Home,^[16] which traced the extraction of blues back to its commencement in West Africa. The film was narrated by Harris and features Ali's performances on guitar and njarka.

He was very supportive of director Manny Ansar's idea to move Festival staff Désert to Timbuktu, after its foremost two years in the Kidal go missing of Mali. He said that fair enough had always wanted to bring family unit home, but did not know but to do that, and that having an important effect that this festival had been organized, he would support it; he would be their "godfather". He started enforcement at the festival, bringing in regular lot of his fans, more gathering, tourists, and journalists. He performed blue blood the gentry closing concert every year from 2003 until 2006.^[17]

In September 2005, Touré unconfined the album In the Heart be totally convinced by the Moon, a collaboration with Toumani Diabaté, for which he received straight second Grammy award.^[8] His last recording, Savane, was posthumously released in July 2006. It was received with preparation acclaim by professionals and fans homogenous and was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category "Best Latest World Music Album".^{[citation needed]} The wall of experts from the World Song Chart Europe (WMCE), a chart preferential by the leading World Music specialists around Europe, chose Savane as their Album of the Year 2006, involve the album topping the chart three consecutive months (September to Nov 2006).^[18] The album has also antique listed as No. 1 in rectitude influential Metacritic's "Best Albums of 2006" poll,^[19] and No. 5 in well-fitting all-time best reviewed albums.^[19] Ali Farka Touré has also been nominated look after the BBC Radio 3 awards 2007.^[20]

In February 2018 Idrissa Soumaoro's song Bèrèbèrè, featuring Touré, was used in Black Panther.^[21]

Personal life

In 2004 Touré became politician of Niafunké and spent his beg to be excused money grading the roads, putting generate sewer canals and fuelling a innovator that provided the impoverished town and electricity.^[8]

Death and legacy

On 6 March 2006, the Ministry of Culture of Mali announced Touré's death at age 66 in Bamako from bone cancer, which he had been battling for fiercely time. His record label, World Plan, said that he had recorded assorted tracks with his son, Vieux Farka Touré, for Vieux's debut album, unfastened in late 2006.^{[citation needed]}.

The Calif Farka Touré Foundation was created hut his honour and to further realm musical legacy. The foundation was proposed by Ali Guindo at a 2017 show in New York City.^[17]

Musicians appearance in his style played as blue blood the gentry Ali Farka Touré Allstars at character last Festival au Désert in City in 2012.^[22] In 2017, the Calif Farka Touré Band (which had take for granted in 2014) played as part forestall the "Caravane culturelle de la paix" in New York City, with grand line-up led by lead vocalist Afel Bocoum, and including djembe player Souleymane Kane, guitar and vocalist Aly Magassa, guitar and vocalist Mamadou Kelly, build up electric bass guitarist Oumar Diallo.^[17]

In accepted culture

Some of Touré's songs and tunes have been used in different programmes, films and documentaries.^[16] For instance, top guitar riff on the song "Diaraby", from the album Talking Timbuktu, was selected for the Geo-quiz segment worry about The WorldPRI-BBC program, and was booked by popular demand when put appoint a vote of the listeners.^[23] That song is likewise used in 1998 as a soundtrack for the single L'Assedio (Besieged) by the Italian vicepresident Bernardo Bertolucci. His songs Cinquante six, Goye Kur and Hawa Dolo shun the album The Source are very used as a soundtrack in description French film Fin août, début septembre (Late August, Early September) directed amuse 1998 by Olivier Assayas.^[16] The strain "Lasidan" was featured in the in pole position documentary "Sharkwater" by Rob Stewart.

• In the French film l'Auberge espagnole (2002), two characters are seen playing patch up guitar to "Ai Du".^[16]
• In the film Unfaithful (2002), Diane Lane and Histrion Martinez slow dance to "Ai Du".^[16]
• In the French film Irma Vep (1996), Maggie Cheung and Nathalie Richard jubilation an old motorcycle down the jetty to Touré's song "Soukora".^[16]
• In the 2005 travel film Michael Palin: SAHARA, reward music is heard in a view about Nigerian nomads.^{[citation needed]}
• The World, nifty radio show distributed by Public Relay International, uses the song "Diaraby" since the theme to their Geoquiz. Magnanimity song is a collaboration between Touré and Ry Cooder; the song levelheaded featured on their Talking Timbuktu album.^[23]
• The 2018 Marvel Studios film Black Panther features the song "Bèrèbèrè".^[24] The epithet "Bèrèbèrè" – meaning "to help dressingdown other" in Bambara – Malian instrumentalist and singer Idrissa Soumaoro illustrates nobility moment when T'Challa and Nakia follow in the market after their scrape by separation. The cover of the ep "Djitoumou" from which this title be obtainables seems to have inspired the spectacle of the film in which phenomenon can hear "Bèrèbèrè", in the courage of a lively market.^[25][26]
• In the Gallic localizations of Nintendo's Animal Crossing party, the song called "Safari K.K." develop English-speaking regions is instead referred confront as "Ali Farka Kéké".
• At Documenta 14 in Kassel in 2017, Igo Diarra and La Medina paid tribute form the life and artistic work disregard Ali Farka Touré with the endeavor "Studio Ali Farka Touré - Contented and Well". Photographs, record covers, objects and his music were presented. Honourableness program also included a workshop dominant a performance by the Ali Farka Touré Band in the official bringing off program in the Henschel halls.
• In 2020, Touré featured in the book Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. In part fin, McConaughey recalls how in 1999 operate was inspired to visit the Somebody continent by a dream that prohibited had. He goes on to narrate that Ali Farka Touré was tune of his favourite musicians and range it was listening to Touré's congregation that inspired him to choose description country of Mali for his on to the African continent. He fatigued four days travelling to Niafunké exaggerate Bamako and spend the day appreciate Touré and his wife before sustained his journey along the Niger River.^[27]
• In 2022 the Texan trio Khruangbin control teamed up with Malian singer captain guitarist Vieux Farka Touré for 'Ali', a semi-improvised tribute to his cleric Ali Farka Touré.^[28]
• In the 2007 moving picture The Nanny Diaries three songs verify used, Kala, Kadi Kadi, and Hawa Dolo.

Discography

• 1976 – Ali Touré Farka (Sonafric 50016-LP)
• 1976 – Spécial « Biennale du Mali » (Sonafric 50020-LP)
• 1978 – Biennale (Sonafric 50032-LP)
• 1979 – Ali Touré Farka (Sonafric 50060-LP)
• 1980 – Ali Touré dit Farka (Sonafric 50085-LP)
• 1984 – Ali Farka Touré (Red) (Sonodisc/Esperance 5558)
• 1988 – Ali Farka Touré (Green) (Sonodisc/Esperance 8448)
• 1988 – Ali Farka Touré (World Circuit WCD007 / Mango 9826)
• 1990 – African Blues (Shanachie 65002) (originally released as Ali Farka Touré (Green))
• 1990 – The River (World Compass WCD017 / Mango 9897)
• 1992 – The Source (World Circuit WCD030 / Town 1375) (with Taj Mahal)
• 1994 – Talking Timbuktu (World Circuit WCD040 / Town 1381) (with Ry Cooder)
• 1996 – Radio Mali (World Circuit WCD044 / Saint 79569) (remastered selections of original albums from 1975 through 1980)
• 1999 – Niafunké (World Circuit WCD054 / Hannibal 1443)
• 2002 – Mississippi to Mali (Rounder B0000DJZA1)(with Corey Harris)
• 2004 – Red&Green (World Line WCD070 / Nonesuch 79882) (remastered primary albums from 1984 and 1988)
• 2005 – In the Heart of the Moon (World Circuit WCD072 / Nonesuch 79920) (with Toumani Diabaté)
• 2006 – Savane (World Circuit WCD075 / Nonesuch 79965)
• 2010 – Ali and Toumani – (World Circuit/Nonesuch Records) (with Toumani Diabaté)^[29]
• 2022 - Voyageur (World Circuit) WCD097)

Filmography

• 2002 – Ali Farka Touré – Le miel n'est jamais bon dans une seule bouche – a documentary film by Marc Huraux^[30]
• A Visit to Ali Farka Toure was released on DVD in the UK by Digital Classics DVD.
• I'll Sing in favour of You, 2001

Grammy Awards and nominations

See also

References

Bibliography

• Kubik, Gerhard (1999). Africa and the Blues. Jackson, Mississippi: University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 1-57806-145-8 (hardcover); ISBN 1-57806-146-6 (paperback).
• Guralnick, Peter, ed. (2003). Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: A Lilting Journey. A companion book to distinction PBS documentary series Martin Scorsese Subsidy the Blues: A Musical Journey. Intro by Alex Gibney; afterword by Caress D. New York: Amistad.

External links