Abdoul Kader - Alhadi Autotune, the notorious pitch correcting vocal effect, has seemingly found its way into every perceivable genre and style of music in every corner of the world. In the genre of Tuareg guitar however, the wanton use is confined to Niger where modern Tuareg compositions have nudged…
Mona - Hey Joe Mona is an imposing figure. He once stood much taller than he does today - age has taken it's toll, and he walks slowly, slightly hunched over. But when he steps out of the shadows in a purple frilled jacket and pants to match and sporting…
Spring is upon us, time to come out of the house and put on your dancing shoes. Tuareg guitarist and virtuoso Mdou Moctar has a mini-spring tour, and will be traveling around for a few shows in the EU + Turkey. In addition, he'll be screening his film Akounak (which…
Video of Fatou Seidi Ghali from Les Filles de Illighadad, the tuareg guitar and tende duo from central Niger. Fatou is featured on the recent LP of the same name. The above footage was shot by neopan kollektiv for the upcoming film [play][record] - a story of sahel sounds. Les…
For sometime I'd been on an elusive search for the West African metal musicians. It appeared that metal didn't exist the Sahel. Enter Shine. Band leader Daouda Dao is a professor at the Arts Conservatory of Bamako. It's Bamako's art school, with active theater courses, plastic arts, visual arts, and…
Digging at the mp3 market in Bamako, I had the vendor send me over a folder entitled GAO RAP. Containing, of course, what the title says - Rap music from the Northern Mali city of Gao. Which in itself would not be so remarkable if it wasn't for what rap…