Today news comes from Mali that Ali Farka Toure has passed from this world to the next. Our ancestors are now blessed with the musicial genius of this man whom some call "The lion of the desert" or "The lion of Niafounke".
We had heard several months ago from our friends at IMN that Ali Farka was ailing, and had been praying for him. So today's news, while not unexpected brings a heavy heart to us all.
Mr. Toure was the first African artist to receive two Grammy Awards, the most recent for his collaboration with Toumani Diabate on an album called "In The Heart of the Moon."
While some folks (in the US and Europe) might say that Ali Farka found new ways to combine the Blues with Malian Traditional Music, Ali Farka was always adamant to say that he was merely playing his musical heritage, and that the music he was playing (Blues) came from Mali initially.
We are a richer world for Ali Farka's presence here, and we celebrate his legacy as we mourn his passing.
See here for IMN's biography of Ali Farka Toure.
1 comment:
I was fortunate enough to see Ali play live in Cheltenham, I have played his music frequently since, I am listening to hawa dolo as I write this. A great man.
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