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Just heard on our evening television news that one of the greatest musicians in the world has died. I doubt if many of you have heard of him, we all tend to be a little isolationist in our tastes. But, the death of the great man, guitar player and singer Ali Farka Toure from Mali, the "African John Lee Hooker", a man of magical musicianship, will be a great loss to World music. They're all dying, the greats. Time to get out some old vinyl.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Hi Colin

I'm not at all familiar with him, but I heard something on the radio where they played a track from a record of his, I think it was called Kenuna - Stunning.

One of my favorite discs is the one he did with Ry Cooder about 10 years ago. Sad day, indeed.

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53% of all statistics are made up on the spot
http://driftwoodguitars.blogspot.com/

Colin,

I hadn't heard - until I just read your post. I have been a fan of his since I
discovered his music 15 or so years ago. I am saddened to say the least. I
am off to meet a friend at a pub - I will raise one in honor of the life of Ali
Farka Toure!!! Thanks for the post.

Heard from you,1 of my faves.Gotta check the news

[QUOTE=WayneC] One of my favorite discs is the one he did with Ry Cooder about 10 years ago. Sad day, indeed.[/QUOTE]

Yes, "Talking Timbuktu" from 1994, won a couple of Grammies I think. His 'Mali Blues' was a unique and inspiring sound that took the blues back to it's East African roots. There are a number of great African musicians that tend to get ignored in the West. All over the world it seems that the old timers are dying out and I can't see the young players coming through to take their place, lot's of fancy technicians, but a sad lack of musicians.

Colin Colin S38784.3785185185

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Anyone has sound clips of this hero, you all triggered my curiosity, i never heard him play but would sure like to!

I have a compilation disk Acoustic Guitar Magazine put out a few years ago with Ali playing a track. It is extremely amazing what that man could do. On this track he is keeping a steady beat with his thumb while playing synchopated rhythms and poly rithms with his fingers. Amazing stuff, I'm talking 3 against 4 type rythms with ONE HAND!

I am very saddened by this news. He was definately one of a kind. I think the bigger shame is that the past few years he has been retired as a musician and has been farming...I guess it doesn't pay to be original and an inovator sometimes.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

This is very sad news. I had not heard. I'm shocked. He wasn't that old... I wonder what happened to him.

He's one of my very favorite guitarists, one of very favorite musicians. I have most of his records and they are all GREAT.

I just googled and found a Reuters story on it. Here's an excerpt:

"Dubbed "the African John Lee Hooker," Farka Toure's haunting music, which he sang in 11 languages, combined the traditions of his native northern Mali with the influence of American blues, which he saw as having its roots in West Africa.

One of the continent's most internationally successful artists, he won acclaim around the world for his 1994 album "Talking Timbuktu," recorded with Texan guitarist Ry Cooder, and won a second Grammy last month for "In the Heart of the Moon," an album made with his countryman Toumani Diabate.

He had just finished work on a new solo album when he died.

Farka Toure, who was born in 1939 but like many Africans of his generation did not know his exact date of birth, was due to be buried later on Wednesday in his hometown of Niafunke, on the barren shores of the slow-moving Niger river near Timbuktu.

Though famous for his music, Farka Toure eschewed a life of glamour and thought of himself above all as a farmer, tending to a 350-hectare farm in Niafunke, where he was made mayor after setting up projects to help local women and children.

For the fellow musicians and fans who gathered at Bamako airport, from where his body was due to be flown, the landscape which inspired his music seemed to pay him a final homage as a desert wind blew clouds of sand across an orange sky."

Personally, I've always felt the moniker "African John Lee Hooker" didn't do him justice. Nothing against the great John Lee at all, but Ali Farka's music is unique and complex, much deeper than just some African guy playing blues. Most of it sounds much more like traditional African music than American blues. He's just awesome.

Anyway, the story also said he was only 67 and had been battling bone cancer for a long time. I had no idea.

He hadn't quit playing, composing, performing, and recording. IN THE HEART OF THE MOON, an fantastic record of improvised duets with Kora virtuoso Toumani Diabate, just came out last June, and, as this Reuters story says, he just finished work on a new solo record - can't wait to hear that.

Do yourself a favor, buy TALKING TIMBUKTU, NIAFUNKE, THE SOURCE, and IN THE HEART OF THE MOON. Lock yourself in a room with a good sound system, turn off all the lights, and turn it up. Be prepared to be inspired, transported, and educated.

I am so bummed to hear he's gone. What a great loss.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Todd, you put it perfectly, one of my very favourite musicians. Anyone with any interest in the guitar and it's music is not educated unless they have at least one of his albums. Your right darkened room good soundsystem and let the his music completely overwhelm you.

I think his purely African music is better than his collaboration with Ry Cooder. He was a pure one off, to him the music rather than the fame or the money was what mattered, a refreshing change in this over commercialised world. Like you I await his final album.

I have tried many times to imitate his playing and have failed abysmally, truly one of the 3 or 4 greatest and original players of the last 50 years.

Now I'm really depressed.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

[QUOTE=Todd Rose] I am so bummed to hear he's gone. What a great loss.

[/QUOTE]
He was obviously here long enough, though, to deeply touch a lot of people. I bet he knew that. I would also wager that he could have spent a great deal of time touring in the Western world and gaining a lot more money and fame. It seems it was his choice to not do that. Make a difference on your own terms--now, that's a good life!

I saw him play at the Rye community centre in East Sussex UK ,must have been 12 years ago at least.
He play a beat up cheap guitar and had a Cora? player with him .also borrowed my friends amp.
It was certainly a evening to remember.
Rick218

Rick, I saw him in Canterbury, at the Marlowe, about then must have been the same tour. Inspirational.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.