“Mariama”, aprogramme with African music. Desert blues.
Performance Tinariwen at the Festival au Désert in Essakane.
‘Off you go!
The desert is the gate to heaven!
It will work miracles in your feeble soul!’
Thomas Merten
In this Mariama music from the Sahara: desert blues. Some musicians, among which Ali Farka Touré the big singer and guitarist from Mali, claim that blues is of African origin. Musicologist and blues researcher Samuel Charters points out the remarkable similarities between the blues of America and Africa.
’Le Festival au Désert’ is an annual festival in the middle of the Sahara. Many nomadic tribes, but also well known singers from Mali, Mauritania and Senegal perform on this festival for a couple of days. Since the first Festival au Désert there has been a lot of interest for Touareg groups like Toumast and the women’s groups Tartit, from refugee camps in Mauritania and Burkina Faso. Tinariwen has even made it world wide.
Desert blues brings up images of nomadic people who, after a day in the desert with their caravan, recite poems and sing and dance round the campfire at night. In this programme music of the album ‘Le Festival au Désert’ and of the double CD ‘Desert Blues 3.’
Playlist:
CD ‘Le Festival Désert’, 2003. Afel Bocoum. EMI 5914292
1. ‘Buri Baalal’ – Afel Bocoum
2. ‘Tihar Bayatin’ – Fadimata Walett Oumar
3. ‘Jah Kas Cool Boy’ – Denis Péan/Lo’Jo
4. ‘Wayena´ – Oumou Sangaré
5. ‘Karaw´ – Ali Farka Touré
6. ‘Aldachan Manin´ – Ibrahim Ag Alhabib
7. ‘Politique´ Adama Yalomba
8. ‘Fady Yeïna´ ´Baba Salah´
9. ‘Laisse Moi Dire´ Ibrahim Sissoko
CD ‘Desert Blues 3’, 2008. Idrissa Soumaoro.Network LC 06759
10. ‘M´Ba Den Ou´ – Idrissa Soumaoro
11. ‘Keme Bourema´ trad.arr. Fula Flute
12. ‘Baayo´ – Cherif M’Baw
13. ‘Humaisa ´ – Adoulaye Alhassane Touré
14. ‘Ai Ga Bani´ – Toumani Diabaté en Ali Farka Touré
