sahelsounds

Girl by the rice paddies

A French song

Girl by the market with Amadou and Mariam's Homage to Ali Farka Toure

Girl in Niafounke tries to remember the words

Girl with mother singing Na Hawa Doumbia

Hamadou Traore singing song from the Bi-annal, National Orchestra of Timbouctou

Kids with the Mali National Anthem (sort of French)

Mamadou Boucom with religious chant (Arabic)

Two boys in Timbouctou with 'caravan song' (Tamasheq)

Labels: mali, niafounke, timbouctou

I've come to Timbouctou to find a Tamashek guitarist named "Aba". He is from Gargando, and has left music and joined the military. I don't find him. However, I do meet with Mohamed Ag Abothy (or Mohamed "Bidega") who plays the bidega, a semispherical wood instrument with attached pieces of steel. Mohamed claims this is a Tamashek instrument (his father made it, his father before him, etc.), but the sound is similar to that found further south - perhaps influenced by the Mande sound?


Bidega 1


Bocar Tandina is a guitarist who plays in the traditional "Sori" style (think Ali Farka Toure). Along with Mohammad (and a percussionist), they make up the group Fafadoby.


Bocar on guitar


Lastly, a street field recording, walking through the old center of Timbouctou (crying children, an agitated drum session, music drifting from a radio...and motorbikes!


Old town

Labels: mali, songhai, sonrai, timbouctou