Nearly 3 years ago Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Toure’s debut release appeared.  It came out shortly after the death of his legendary guitar-playing father, Ali Farka Toure, known for his distinctive Malian Islamic roots in the desert meets John Lee Hooker style.  His father, before passing away from cancer, recorded four tracks with his son. Vieux’s musical mentor, kora (21 string African harp) player and bandleader extraordinaire  Toumani Diabete also appeared on four songs on that debut, so despite its merits, it was hard to hear that cd as that much more than the effort of a still learning musician who was not quite his Dad or his Dad’s pals.  Now on Vieux’s recently released second album Fondo (it means “the road”) he is beginning to establish his own identity.  He will also be back in town Monday night June 22, this time at the Rock and Roll Hotel.

While Toumani Diabete is on one track on Fondo, and veteran Malian vocalist Afel Bocoum is on three cuts, this is very much Vieux’s cd as he penned all but one song (a traditional) and his guitar playing, influenced by Dad but with some rock and Caribbean influences as well, dominates the sound.  However, Vieux also adds some modern touches with the help of bassist/producer/remixer Yossi Fine (he and Vieux produced) from Israel and New York trap drummer Tim Keiper who has played with John Zorn and with the Dirty Projectors. Not afropop ala Amadou & Mariam, this is more Saharan bluesy drone, but with enough distinctive touches in each cut to keep it from being too repetitive.

Read More “Guitarist Vieux Farka Toure Live Monday (and his new cd)” »

Rokia Traore may sometimes strum an acoustic guitar and trill softly, but she is no folkie. Traore, a Malian singer/songwriter, will be atBarns of Wolf Trap Thursday night in support of her latest cd Tchamantche. A diplomat’s daughter who has lived in the Middle East and elsewhere, Traore mixes traditional Malian styles with subtle influences from other genres. While she often uses a more quiet, lullaby tone than traditional female warblers from her homeland do, she occasionally moves up and down the scales in an imprssive manner. Tchamantche has a stripped-down, minimalist feel. On “Kounandi” Traore sings in a whispering fashion over a pinging steel drum. Traore frequently mixes her breathy vocals over her own Ali Farka Toure-inspired electric guitar strumming.

On “Koronoko” she starts her vocals off soothingly while strumming her electric Gretsch in a Northern Mali desert blues style. Soon her voice gets louder and echoing percussion makes an appearance lending further atmospheric drama to the cut. Nonesuch added to the American version of the cd her Billie Holiday inspired version of Gershwin’s “The Man I Love.” Traore usually sings in Bambara or French but she does this jazzy Malian rendition in English. Much of her live set will likely use faster tempos.

When I saw her in 2004, she turned much of the second half of the set into polyrhythmic dance music. She was joined by a skilled band on a variety of instruments—two ngonis (skin-covered lute), djembe drum, calabash, balafon (xylophone with slats on gourds) and electric bass.

Rokia Traore at 8 p.m. Thursday February 12 at the Barns of Wolf Trap in Vienna, Va.