London’s Barbican audience was left enraptured by a fabulous, enchanting and stately performance by Toumani Diabate and the eight musicians who accompanied him. Seamlessly blending traditional West African instruments with their modern counterparts, this special tribute concert to the the late Ali Farka Toure was considered by many present to be one of those very special “I was there” moments.
By the final song perhaps 90 percent of the audience were on their feet, most of them dancing, and when Toumani returned to the stage alone for the encore, the theatre fell into a deep reverential hush as he treated us to a virtuso display on the kora, the 21-string West African harp.
Ali Farka Toure’s nephew Samba delighted on guitar and vocals, Toumani’s cousin Fode Lassana was a revelation on the balaphon (the West African xylophone), and the djembe sound was crystal clear and sweet.
But the star attraction was Toumani himself. As a griot, he is descended from a long line of professional, hereditary musicians, and can trace his family back 71 generations to the time of the Mande empire in the 13th century. Perhaps this explains the dignity of the performance.
The kora, a griot’s traditional instrument, is itself a sight to behold, and Toumani’s is 50 years old, bequeathed to him by his father many years ago. Toumani plays bass, melody and improvisations simultaneously, a magnificent achievement.
The ensemble was tight, professional and bedecked in colourful, traditional clothing. The music really was seamless – we were stunned to discover that two hours had passed – interrupted only by the occasional utterance from Toumani. Talking about the financial crisis, he reminded us of the importance of culture, saying, “A people without culture have no soul”. He also spoke lucidly about his role as a goodwill ambassador for the UN Aids initiative.
Toumani made two highly celebrated albums with Ali Farka Toure, the Grammy-award winning In The Heart Of The Moon, and the dreamy, spectacular Ali & Toumani, the last record Toure made before his death. This concert was a fitting tribute to the life and legacy of the great Malian bluesman.
Look out for a further UK performance in July, when Toumani headlines the Larmer Tree Festival.
But for the real deal? A three-day Ali Farka Toure celebration festival in Mali later this year, featuring all the musicians present and many, many more.
By the final song perhaps 90 percent of the audience were on their feet, most of them dancing, and when Toumani returned to the stage alone for the encore, the theatre fell into a deep reverential hush as he treated us to a virtuso display on the kora, the 21-string West African harp.
Ali Farka Toure’s nephew Samba delighted on guitar and vocals, Toumani’s cousin Fode Lassana was a revelation on the balaphon (the West African xylophone), and the djembe sound was crystal clear and sweet.
But the star attraction was Toumani himself. As a griot, he is descended from a long line of professional, hereditary musicians, and can trace his family back 71 generations to the time of the Mande empire in the 13th century. Perhaps this explains the dignity of the performance.
The kora, a griot’s traditional instrument, is itself a sight to behold, and Toumani’s is 50 years old, bequeathed to him by his father many years ago. Toumani plays bass, melody and improvisations simultaneously, a magnificent achievement.
The ensemble was tight, professional and bedecked in colourful, traditional clothing. The music really was seamless – we were stunned to discover that two hours had passed – interrupted only by the occasional utterance from Toumani. Talking about the financial crisis, he reminded us of the importance of culture, saying, “A people without culture have no soul”. He also spoke lucidly about his role as a goodwill ambassador for the UN Aids initiative.
Toumani made two highly celebrated albums with Ali Farka Toure, the Grammy-award winning In The Heart Of The Moon, and the dreamy, spectacular Ali & Toumani, the last record Toure made before his death. This concert was a fitting tribute to the life and legacy of the great Malian bluesman.
Look out for a further UK performance in July, when Toumani headlines the Larmer Tree Festival.
But for the real deal? A three-day Ali Farka Toure celebration festival in Mali later this year, featuring all the musicians present and many, many more.
