Ali Farka Touré Official thread

Thought it would be good to have a dedicated thread for all things Ali Farka Toure. I got into Ali along with Thomas Mapfumo around 1990 mostly on cassette in those days. I prefer his simple blues stuff, my favourite album being "Red" also known as "La Drogue" on the 1989 French Sonodisk CD version I have.

I was wondering today if there were any early cassette releases of his that had never made it to cd and I came across the Ni Foli cassette from 1984 (which has actually had a limited to 350 LP release a few years ago). Super raw but super good to my ears:

The 4 tracks on Ni Foli were supplemented by 2 more and also released on cassette in 1988 "Ali Farka Toure Vol.2". Vol.1 seems to be similar sounding tracks as well.

 

Final 2 of 7 lps from 1975-1988. The Red one is on my list of recordings for a desert island. Acoustic guitar, vocals, percussion.

 

the Radio Mali CD compiles tracks from Ali's LP only albums from 1975-1980, it's even more stripped down than Red & Green.

 

Great! Just placed my order on Amazon!

Are his lyrics posted anywhere? I would love to see the lyrics to Red!

 

Got into his music whilst a teenager through the Ry Cooder collaboration "Talking Timbuktu". For the first few years of having this album, only 4 songs clicked with me but then, the rest of the disc slowly reached me. Talk about a grower.

Next, "Niafunké" appeared, and it was raw, electric and rural. It helped me a lot through some hard times.

The almost instrumental "By the Light Of the Moon" with Toumani Diabaté turned out to be an instant favourite and introduced me to another great master musician.

 

Was playing Talking Timbuktu just yesterday. That's some forever music.

Loved his appearance in "Feel Like Going Home," the first episode in Martin Scorsese's The Blues documentary series, drawing the connections between West Africa and the Delta blues.

 

Haven't played The Source in many moons. Almost did last night- will have to spin it soon.

 

I should just point out for anyone completely new to Ali Farka Toure that the Youtube track in post #1 is not really representative of Ali's sound. Here's a taste the acoustic sound that's prevalent on his early LPs, Red/Green and S/T:

 

Every home should have a copy of "In the Heart of the Moon". No less classic than the dark side!

 

Just picked up a copy of the new Re-issue of Talking Timbuktu on Vinyl by Wold Circuit records.

Mastered by Bernie Grundman - its a total knockout. What a fantastic sounding record. Flat, quiet and holographic sounding. This is most definitely a demonstration worthy record.

Every instrument is clear and crisp, I just cant get over Ali Farka Toure, Ry Cooder and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown all killing it with their guitars.

Anyway the new reissue is expensive here in the states but well worth it. Highly recommended.

 

ALI & TOUMANI from 2010 is my favorite from Mali. Cheikh Lo from Senegal is my favorite african musician still alive...

 

B

Baron if you don't know Baaba Maal & Mansour Seck's - Djam Leelii that's a real good one.

 

In case you don't already know, within days of that Toure recording, they returned to the broken down schoolhouse in Niafunke, amidst the snakes and mosquitoes, for a session with Toure's protege Afel Bocoum, that is a haunting traditional acoustic set with a mesmerizing call and response vocal chorus. The name of the album and his group is Alkibar, which means "messenger of the great river". Very different style, maybe not quite as accessible for Westerners, but really nice CD, recorded with the same mobile rig used for Niafunke.

That is one of my favorites, just mentioned in another thread in the last couple days, but I do have an old thread about it too, didn't get much response at the time, but ...
http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/baaba-maal-mansour-seck-djam-leelii.28573/

 

Thanks for your post, I wasn't aware there was a double LP reissue of Talking Timbuktu until I saw this.

Well, yesterday I picked up a copy, it had 20% off, I couldn't believe my eyes, I thought it was a mistake! Will give it a listen over the weekend!

The sticker is wrong on the front cover, it states... available for the first time on vinyl!

It was released as a single LP in 1994!

JG

 

+1 (from one music loving cat to another) on your take of this marvelous, long waited reissue. I had the original Lp, but this double vinyl reissue, IS KILLER!

 

I got an opportunity to compare the reissue double LP with my original and it is no contest. The reissue is fantastic, there is a greater feel to the music and the quietness between the notes is eerie! The single LP has a very pinched sound compared to it! Loving the music all over again!

JG

 

Agree wholeheartedly! Sooo good to see this album reissued, and produced so finely.

 

Great thread. Was lucky enough to see Ali including the early 90's. Let's face it all his albums are great. His last solo album "Savanne" is stupendous too...

 

...Relish the thought of owning Savane from 2006 on vinyl Lp... C'mon Nonesuch/World Circuit!

http://www.discogs.com/Ali-Farka-Toure-Savane/master/169613

 

Listening to Talking Timbuktu double LP. Was reading this interview with Ry Cooder on the experience:
Ry Cooder: The Complete Ali Farka Touré Interview | Jas Obrecht Music Archive »

Love this album. My only other real African music had been Ibrahim Abdullah aka Dollar Brand.

 

Thank you for posting the link to the interview.

 

For anyone interested, The Source has been repressed.

"Ali's vision opens even further to include a full backing band and further forays into the electric guitar. Taj Mahal, Rory Mcleod and Nitin Sawhney (who contributes tabla on "Inchana Massina") weave into Ali's dense musical tapestry while his philosophical and spiritual perceptions are enhanced by his protégé Afel Bocoum's gentle narration."

https://shop.worldcircuit.co.uk/Shop/DownloadDetails?rid=WCR_RE_20

 

Also - all of his early Sonafric albums have been repressed

These were never released on cd and clean originals are nearing 1k

 

I was really happy to see this discussion on Ali! Love his stuff. The Green Red cds i have are so great. And the later combo with Toumani is great otherworldly music. Well recorded and just amazing. I love the feel he has. I heard of him through the Source but got anything i heard about through the years. Just amazing music to. Love Ali. Thanks all for the nudge to some stuff i had never heard of. This is why i love this place.

 

awesome