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.
Posted by: Antonio Gould at April 22, 2007 8:08 PMFunny 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...
Posted by: Rik at April 22, 2007 10:44 PMnah, I will not believe in this hype.
Posted by: krzysztof kurowski at April 22, 2007 11:06 PMTinariwen, 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!
Posted by: Bill Olen at April 23, 2007 1:59 AMI 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.
Posted by: Richard Hare at April 23, 2007 8:43 AMFair enough, Richard. I happen to LOVE the drone you speak of. And the bass playing I find absolutely stunning.
Posted by: hugh macleod at April 23, 2007 9:26 AMTop 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...
Posted by: Mark E at April 23, 2007 3:28 PMTop 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...
Posted by: Mark E at April 23, 2007 3:28 PMwould love to hear taj mahal with these guys. he's done a lot with bands from mali in the past.
Posted by: B.L. Ochman at April 23, 2007 3:44 PMtop post Hugh - especially as I enjoy wearing my Berber djellaba in Scotland; it's a Blue Monster 'blue' - quite traditional.
Posted by: James Thomson at April 24, 2007 9:09 PMYou should get Steve Ball to do a jam session with them. :-)
Posted by: kris fuehr at April 24, 2007 10:24 PMBookmarked because they really are that good.
Posted by: Christopher Trottier at April 25, 2007 7:38 AMSo true Hugh, a real discovery. I saw them at the Big Chill in 2005 and they were just incredible.
Posted by: Deirdre at April 30, 2007 11:54 PM