By Jenni Gate
From some
of the least hopeful places on the planet comes some of the most hopeful music.
Throughout Africa, the trend in pop culture is
for musicians to uplift and inspire, with folk instruments, upbeat rhythms, and
lyrics. They sing of their own
transitions from desolation to optimism, or give tribute to the struggles of
their compatriots.
Last week, Bombino,
one of Africa’s fastest-rising musicians,
released the album Nomad to critical acclaim. The album was produced by Dan
Auerbach of The Black Keys, and the result is mesmerizing. Omara Bombino Moctar
is a Tuareg born in Niger in 1980
in the midst of cultural and political upheaval. The Tuareg are a nomadic ethnic group common throughout northern Africa
from Burkina Faso to Mali, Niger,
Algeria, and Libya. Due to
their nomadic lifestyle, they have been the subject of violent suppression
since the days of colonialism. With North African governments seeking to
restrict their movements as population growth stresses the desert environment,
the Tuareg have found themselves
marginalized and repressed. This led to several uprisings and reprisals from
the 1960s through the present. Bombino grew up in the midst of violence. His
family was forced to flee Niger
several times to neighboring Algeria
and later to Libya.
During his years in exile, Bombino taught himself to play the guitar, watching
videos of Mark Knopfler, Jimi Hendrix and others until he mastered their styles.
In 2007, the government of Niger
outlawed the guitar and executed two musicians, forcing Bombino to flee once
again. His sound is electrifying with a voice like butter accompanying high-energy
guitar and in the process encapsulating the sounds of rebellion and optimism. His
music speaks of peace and rights for the Tuaregs spread throughout the Sahara.
This video
about the making of Nomad includes background about Bombino and
the history of the Tuareg people:
Watch
Bombino’s performance of a simple, yet beautiful Tuareg dedication song:
Listen to
sample tracks from the album Nomad and discover more about this fascinating nomadic musician here:
http://www.allmusic.com/album/nomad-mw0002494357
http://www.allmusic.com/album/nomad-mw0002494357
Photo: Harry Wad, CC by SA 3.0 |
In the
midst of the current conflict in Mali, the couple has joined with
several other musicians to speak out against the violence. See the story about
this effort at: http://www.npr.org/blogs/allsongs/2013/01/18/169730172/watch-a-supergroup-from-mali-sing-for-peace
Je Pense à Toi:
A recent video about the current political situation in Mali:
Watch and listen to their official videos and songs here: http://www.youtube.com/amadouandmariam
Baloji. Photo: by Peter Forret, CC by 2.0 |
Out of the
blue, he received a letter from his mother who had not been in contact since
1981. His mother commented in her letter that when she sent him to Belgium she had intentionally sent him to the land of Marvin Gaye. Baloji deeply considered that
musical legacy contrasted with the current condition of people in war-torn Congo. He
realized that his life perspective was skewed. Rather than being a victim of a
cross cultural childhood, he was fortunate to have escaped the intense poverty
and violence of the Congo.
When they spoke by phone, his mother asked him what he’d been doing for all the
years they were apart. He produced his first solo album, Hotel Impala as a way
to respond with the highlights of his life. Compelled to return to Kinshasa, a city built
for 500,000 people but now home to over 12 million, he began a journey of
exploration and self-discovery. Music in the Congo had not changed much in 25
years. Caught up in the feverish energy of the city, Baloji turned his confused
cross-cultural identity into a strength. In just six days, he recorded the
album Kinshasa Succursale with Congolese bands Konono No 1 and Zaiko Langa
Langa. The album reworked several songs from Hotel Impala with several new
songs, all blending Congolese instruments and rhythms. Gritty music videos were
filmed on the streets of Kinshasa.
Karibou Ya
Bintou (meaning Welcome to Limbo) is the signature track. It tells the tale of
how he evolved from an angry young man to a music sorcerer, a creative spirit
fully engaged with his cultural identity. Here is the video with English
subtitles [for mature audiences only]:
Mellower
sounds abound in Le Jour d’Après, which harkens back to the more constrained musical
days of Independence.
If you
happen to be in Britain
this summer, catch a train tour called the African Express. About 80 musicians,
including Amadou and Mariam and Baloji, are riding a train across country to
promote the best in African music. Many of these artists have compelling
personal stories, coming from war-torn areas, or overcoming lives of turmoil. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/aug/26/africa-express-bound-for-glory
Love it! Being from Chicago, I hear so much of the blues in Amadou and Mariam's music...they would be right at home on the Maxwell Street of old, or in a club there today. Thanks for the fascinating post!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kelly. They have been one of my favorites for a few years now. I find myself walking around with their tunes in my head all the time. :)
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I'm not on my PC, so I can't watch the videos.
ReplyDeleteThat's terrible what happened to those musicians and that guitar playing was illegal.
Thanks Stina. It is terrible. The government of Niger apparently felt that the guitar and folk music in general were the source of radical ideas that could be a threat to the regime.
DeleteI hope you have an opportunity to listen to some of their music at some point. :)
What an exhilarating post! I've spent a fair amount of time in West and North Africa but didn't know any of these musicians. Thanks. (I've tried to post this comment three times; I hope it only goes through once.)
ReplyDeleteHi Carole, thank you so much for persisting to post your comment! I'm so glad you did. And happy that it helped you find the music. I was born in North Africa and lived in West Africa as well. Nice to "meet" you. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's a sad situation when guitars are outlawed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for introducing us to a whole host of musicians!
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