Vieux Farka Touré
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Having a famous dad can be more of a curse than a blessing. For every Barry Bonds or Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, both of whom overtook their fathers in the family business, there are thousands of sons who follow their dads with little success. (Franz Xaver Mozart, anyone?) But Vieux Farka Touré, the son of the great Malian guitarist Ali Farka Touré, has already stepped out from his late father’s shadow. Ali Farka Touré proved – in case anyone ever doubted it – that the soul of the blues could be found in West Africa. His son Vieux is turning heads with a more radical idea: that those western Saharan roots can be heard in everything from the jam band scene to Jamaican dub.
Vieux Farka Touré’s career in music would never have happened, if his illustrious parent had his way. Ali felt that the music business was a harsh place to work. But young Vieux found a mentor in Toumani Diabate, and his own guitar skills eventually convinced the elder Farka Touré that a second generation of family musicians was inevitable. This is music from a contemporary Africa – urban, sophisticated, globally connected but deeply proud of its ancient heritage. This is the old/new Africa that Vieux represents.
Albums
Other Roads: Fondo Remixed
Label: Six Degrees Records
Distribution in France: Digital
Release date: December 15, 2009
Get out your dancing shoes ! Other Roads: Fondo Remixed released digitally. Electronica’s finest chart a new course in “Future Afro” sounds. Remixers include Bigga Bush, Bluetech, Yossi Fine, Tamir Muskat (of Balkan Beat Box), Brownout, J-Boogie, Sabbo and many more
Fondo
Label: Six Degrees Records
Distribution in France: Volvox Music
Release date: September 28, 2009
Fondo, Vieux’s newest effort and his Six Degrees debut, is more than a stirring mix of traditional instruments and modern production. More than a world music artist embracing the sounds of rock, it is the sound of a young man coming into his own.
In fact, Fondo showcases Vieux’s guitar playing in several different musical settings. He has mastered the short, stinging phrases of his father, but he reels off some extended guitar jams as well. The song “Mali” is a tribute to the Farka Touré homeland, elegant and restrained but joyful as well, with Vieux’s guitar soaring over a catchy, repeating riff. The funky, syncopated “Ai Haira” suggests a highly caffeinated version of reggae, with its talking drum solo and jammy guitar. And “Sarama,” despite using acoustic percussion, has more than a hint of drum’n’bass; the song also pairs a fast, hypnotic bass line in the style of Moroccan Gnawa music with classic call-and-response vocals, all driven by a gradual buildup of heavy rock drumming.
