“If we stay silent, it will be the end of us,” Mdou Moctar sings in French on the title track of his new album, Afrique Victime (Matador). If there’s one thing you can say for sure about Moctar, it’s that he’s not silent. The Nigerien guitarist keeps one hand on the tradition of Saharan Tuareg […]
Tag: Tinariwen
Posted inMusic
Noura Mint Seymali takes Mauritania to the world
Mauritania doesn’t have the global pop footprint of its neighbor Senegal; its local musical culture is dominated by traditional forms played at weddings and other ceremonial venues. Noura Mint Seymali is determined to change that. The griot and singer has deep roots in Moorish and Mauritanian musical traditions: she grew up singing backup for her […]
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Veteran Tuareg band Tinariwen create a lattice of bluesy guitar licks on the new Elwan
Over their previous few albums, veteran Tuareg band Tinariwen have included contributions from a revolving cast of rock musicians, and their strong new Elwan (Anti) follows suit. Guitarists Kurt Vile and Matt Sweeney (Chavez), who jam on a handful of tracks, deserve praise mainly for not getting in the way, which is more than I […]
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A sonic window into the glory days of postcolonial Mauritania
A previously unreleased collection of tracks by L’Orchestre National de Mauritanie reflects the heyday of the North African nation’s postcolonial hopes.
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Short takes on recent releases from Don Cherry, the Sham Palace label, and Anna Ternheim
Short takes on recent releases from Don Cherry, the Sham Palace label, and Anna Ternheim
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My favorite albums of 2011, numbers 20 through 11
Peter Margasak’s 40 favorite albums of the year, part three.
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Soundboard: July 7-13
Archers of Loaf, Yob, Tinariwen, Mount Moriah, Emmylou Harris, and other notable shows
Posted inBlogs
Early Warnings Roundup
This week’s Early Warnings include Balkan Beat Box, the Decemberists, All Tiny Creatures, Tinariwen, the North Coast Music Festival, DYS, the Strange Boys, and others.
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Takin’ It to the Streets
Saturday’s all-day marathon features an eclectic mix of performances from Mos Def, Brother Ali, Kindred the Family Soul, Tinariwen, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, and others.
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Early Warnings Roundup
This week’s Early Warnings include the Buzzcocks, Cyndi Lauper, Gary Louris, Public Enemy, Bassekou Kouyate, and Tinariwen.
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Music Without Borders Lineup Announced
The 2010 schedule for the Music Without Borders series in Millennium Park includes Tinariwen, Balkan Beat Box, and Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou.
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Photo Pit: Tinariwen
Live (and in class) at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 2/27-28
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The List: February 25-March 3, 2010
Critic’s Choices and other notable concerts: Pierced Arrows, the Carolina Chocolate Drops, John Primer, Tinariwen, and more