Recorded over the past three years “I Sing the Desert Electric” is a short film I’ve pieced together from video that I hastily shot while documenting music. Final Cut, a little post production, and voila. From fuzzy electric guitars of Mauritania to raucous electro-street parties of Bamako, public performance has become louder over the past 40 years (from what I’m told). Amplifiers, speakers, microphones, and megaphones have joined the more or less traditional repertoire of instruments. But these impromptu parties are still such an integral part of music in the West Africa – and easy to find if you’ve got some time to wander around the neighborhoods of the capitals or the villages of the Sahel.
You can download it for free at the following Vimeo link. The film runs about 19 minutes. Download it and share it and enjoy. If you’d like a higher quality copy for screening purposes, please email me at ckirkley at gmail.com. Any contributions for screening will be greatly appreciated.
It’s a beautiful film. Many, many thanks.
i really like the song that is playing in the beginning and in the end of the clip. who is it? and where can i get more of it?
great film by the way.
Beautiful work! “Thank you” again & again…
I love that fuzzy wild sound. Great short documentary. Thanks!