Talking Timbuktu

Loved this. The only music like this I had listened to was Tinarawen and I am a huge fan of them. I liked the inclusion of Ry Cooder and that actually helped to bridge the gap to blues which I was always looking for with Tinarawen.

What a great record! I know Ali Farka Toure but I have never listened to this album. I will definitely come back and listen to it more often.

LOVE this one. This it is such a good mix.

Ry Cooder helped midwife an album better than Buena Vista Social Club and Let It Bleed? Who knew?!? Another one I'm glad I discovered through this list.

Wonderful. Love the swaying beat.

A beautiful meeting of two phenomenal musicians with traditions much closer to each other than one would assume. A crack team behind them. You don't need to know the lyrics to know this is the blues.

This was really great! I had never heard this artist before and really liked the sound

so cool!

It was a joy to listen to this album, what can I say? I'm no expert but this sounds so refreshing, different and beautiful. 5/5

As far as I can tell, there are only about 14 albums on the list from Africa (only around 8 from Asia). This is the fourth the generator has given me in 348 albums, and I've now gotten both from Mali (the other is Music in Exile by Songhou Blues). They both get 5s. Just wonderful.

great album

# Playlist Track - Bonde # Notes - Super interesting and fun! - Feels like your traveling and find some amazing local cuisine. They don't go wild on the spices, as they know you're a tourist, but still gives you a rich glimpse of how those people enjoy themselves.

After the first Ali Farka Touré album, I was really looking forward to this one. Did not disappoint, it was a total blast to hear. Right from the first track, Bonde, the beat hooks you in. And Touré's voice is so soothing and chill. Soukora was nice and chill. Gomni had a killer beat. Sega was an instrumental but still a ton of fun. Amandrai reminded me of a Western movie, as did Ai Du. Dairaby had some great music. Loved the album all the way through. Really need to listen to more of him. Best song: Bonde

rikas. tästä tulee mieleen rikkaus.. ei maallinen, mutta spirituaalinen.. nämähän ovat köyhiä paskoja. likaisia ja haisevia.. mutta ainakin jossain sisimmässä olemuksessa, öö onnellisia? afrikkalaiset heh.. en voi uskoa että tämä oli melkein 30!!! (kolmekymmentä, 3x10) vuotta sitten.. huhhuh antiikin ajoista niin niin kauan kauan sitten en voi uskoa! artistin kuunnelluimmat kaupungit ovat pariisi, brysseli, amsterdam, lontoo ja berliini.. se on hulvattoman hauska fakta heh. mikä on kaukaisin paikka johon olet matkannut? kysyy roope ankka. käsivarsi nousee intona, ja etusormi kädellä vielä korkeammalle, peppukin nousee penkistä: TIMBUKTU! heheh nauraa roope.. mites kuulostaa avaruus? vähän kauenmpana kuin pikkukaupungit siellä afrikanmaissa.. gomni

World music blues; multiple languages. What is there not to like?

I got into Ali Farka Toure after reading Matthew Mccounoghy’s book Greenlights. And really liked him. Plus I love Ru Cooder. So for me this is a perfect match. Love this album.

Never heard of this or listened to it, love it! 5 bagger!

Beautiful, complex, moving, juicy music. The artists are masters, fully in command of the sound and their audience. I could listen to this all day! A 5.

Great sounds, great for working

Excellent

Great african rythym forward guitar music with Ry Cooder

I have loved this album since I first heard it. Beautiful guitar work, flavours of Africa and blues music throughout. Absolute master class.

This was cool

Loved it.

One Touré to rule them all, what a great record!

Touré’s greatest album until his later collaborations with the brilliant Toumani Diabaté. Talking Timbuktu is a journey through a wide variety of languages and cultures - and even though Ry Cooder probably deserves a lot of praise for this, Ali Farka Touré is the true star of this record.

Words just can’t describe this beauty. The man is a genius. This music feels like it has always existed. It is the root of all other music, throughout the entire history of the human species, around the globe. Everything begins and ends here.

I guess this is a 5. Catchy enough for a re-listen, and transportive to me outside of boring old hometown.

Perfect for getting lost in.

With Toure’s Malian sound and percussion aided by Cooder’s iconic and hypnotic slide guitar makes for an amazing album. One of my personal favorites

Unbelievable album. Loved every track. Some amazing guitar riffs.

Fabulous. Really enjoyed this - I like West African guitar music and Ali Farke Toure is top of the list.

It was so amazing. I am definitely going to listen to this album a lot. It is groovy and has bluesy and African elements which I just love.

..... YES!!

now this is my shit: i love desert blues, i love the guitar tone, i love how hypnotic and groovy and by turns lively and relaxing it is

Very soulful and great musically. Enjoyed this listen!

Relentlessly mellow, perfect in style & execution. My first African album, so to speak, and it still sounds like I’m hearing it for the first time, even after hundreds of listens.

5/5

Mellow, relaxing, upbeat. The perfect accompaniment to just about anything.

Ein eine-Welt-Musik-Album in aller bester Güte mit vielen kleinen liebevollen Zutaten. Ein akustisches Wimmelbuch sozusagen. Eine wunderbare Produktion.

Really nice Malian music. There may be better out there, and there is (Tinariwen are definitely worth a listen) but they're not on this list, and this is. Strongly associated forever in my mind with a very middle-class holiday, staying in a Tuscan villa; didn't have much music downloaded to my phone, but did have this album, so we listened to it while driving from hill town to hill town in our Mercedes. Nice.

In general, I quite like the sound of this kind of music, and Ry Cooder's guitar contributions on this album work quite well. It did feel a little too repetitive on the first listen, but my mind was calmer when I played it for a second time and I found it perfectly relaxing.

The very distinctive style of Ali Farka Touré - magical stuff. I especually liked "Gomni", plus the bluesy "Amandrai" and "Ai Du".

So good. Easy 5. The playing is unreal.

Bloody loved this. So good. Desert blues is such a nice genre I could listen all day. I'm glad I know about this guy now.

Afrika meets Blues

Sempre bom conhecer mais do blues do deserto. Garantia de melodias extremamente bem executadas.

Absolutely loved this! Listened straight through twice. 4.5

I really enjoyed this album today. Maybe not a big love, but definitely enough like!

So great! perfect morning listening during the dog's walk, then a quick mowing of my backyard.

Words just can’t describe this beauty. The man is a genius. This music feels like it has always existed. It is the root of all other music, throughout the entire history of the human species, around the globe. Everything begins and ends here.

This album felt like a hug. I could loop it over and over. Another top 10 find for me I'm sure. I guess I have to start listening to African music now. Loved it all, but if I had to pick top tracks I'd go with Soukora and Gomni

This is just bliss!

Ali Farka Touré's album "Savana" was one of my first albums in this project and one of my first great surprises. I didn't know there was another Touré album on the list and I couldn't have been more thrilled to find that out this morning. There's something just so captivating about Touré's performances. His voice and guitar playing are both absolutely mesmerizing and the way he builds songs, layer upon layer, is just so interesting. I find myself drawn into the songs, my ears picking apart all the layers and following the changes in a way that's absolutely compulsive. It's not great for my productivity but it's a fascinating active listening experience.

Loved this one!

This was very pleasant. Reminded me of Tinariwen.

Very fun record and for a person who has actually grown up in a similar environment , it invoked a lot of memories

*I climb onto my house’s roof, stand on its peak, arms outstretched, shouting to the heavens*: THIS IS WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT! THIS IS THE GOOD STUFF! I’m a big fan of both of these guys (Ali & Ry). I love this album, although it does have some weaker moments. Yes, this album has major ‘90s coffee shop vibes, but this album for me is the pinnacle of that vibe in a good way. I remember the song Diaraby being a theme song on a public radio show I listened to about 20 or so years ago, so that song is etched into my soul forever. Thankfully it’s a good song. I’d rate this album 4.5 stars if I had the option. But since I can’t, five stars feels better than four for this album.

Very enjoyable listening. I had a copy on my Tape collection decades ago, and always found it a delight infrequently found. I enjoyed. I'll continue to enjoy. Just 4 stars.

This is beautiful music

This is so different yet feel sso close to home. As someone who mostly listens to hiphop/rap/rnb/trap and dancehall music this is quite a departure from the most lxurious rap beats and even the raw emotion sometimes present in rnb and soul. Hard to pick a favourite but I know Soukora will be a listening staple going forward.

Miłe brzmienia gitarki bębny i inne kołatki Afrykańskie śpiewy Świetna muza

Superb

This hits the ground running. Great in headphones, everything is so crisp and clear. I like this. Got some blues, some country, some African beats.

Real cool vibes. Perfect music to work to.

Enjoyed every track!

Ry Cooder is great but next to Toure it's a hat on a hat. These guys are amazing.

Very good listening!

Brilliant. 5 stars.

Love love the talent

This was amazing. Full of rhythm and emotion. Slow but with a driving pulse and beauty. Dreamy but never boring. Varied but also really takes its time to explore sound-paths. I’ve listened a bit to Ali’s son Vieux Farka Toure. I especially enjoy his album Mon Pays (2013). But I never got around to any deeper dives into the discography of his legendary father Ali. Glad I finally took the plunge. Stand outs: Gomni, Amandrai, Ai Du, Diaraby

Super. Even better than his posthumous album that I heard recently.

Remek djelo

SO - Armandri, Gomni, Diaraby

muito bom o som, um bgl mais indiano bem agradável pra deixar de ambiente

Sooo good

let's fucking gooooo I find this type of blues cool but really boring and the rhythms on this spice it up the perfect amount. Creamed my knickers for this one for sure

Un super album de musique du monde avec farka toure et ry cooder. Quo8 demander de mieux. Le vibe est excellent 5

An easy 5 for me - I think this was one of the first world music albums I ever owned, around uni time - took me back to the kit crystal radio usage of my early childhood. Fave track - "Bonde" sets the tone for the whole thing and the opening chords immediately transport me, so let's say that one, but really this is about the album rather than the individual tracks...

Fantastic album. Really great find. I’m goi g to insten to his entire catalog.

Love the world sound Ethiopian jazz 🤙

P.o.s sampled Sega off this album.

This was great, never heard of it before, but glad I did. #relisten

4 A really enjoyable album, again didn't understand any lyrics but it sounded good

Strong. Partly like eating in Giraffe, partly like grooving with other cultures. Made me feel erudite and intelligent just by listening to it. The pace was excellent.

Enjoyable.

I enjoyed this a lot, but reading up on it, knowing that the main guy just did not like this record too much, i dont feel good giving it a good rating. Still, it's a good one for lovers of the guitar. Low 4

Ali Farka Toure is terug! Vorige keer heb ik zijn album te laag beoordeeld, kzou het eigenlijk 5 sterren moeten geven om te compenseren met het vorige album. Talking Timbuktu klinkt nieuwer dan Savane hoewel het 12 jaar ouder is. Door de samenwerking met Ry Cooder klinkt dit album toch anders dan het vorige en ik moet zeggen dat ik door het vorige album verschillende keren heb beluisterd mijn oren beter in kan stellen op dit album en het automatisch het meer waardeer. Ik ben vooral ook erg gecharmeerd van zijn gitaarspel/gitaartoon.

Cool!

The best aural wallpaper possible.

Really enjoyable.

Really good, felt a bit more delicate than his other album, maybe gentler. Idk.

Enjoyable, and I wouldn't have heard this otherwise (except for the small bit they play on PRI's "The World"). Felt like I should be outside enjoying a joyful day with this on. 4/5

Didn't enjoy this quite as much as the other album he's had on the list but it's still excellent. Also, Ry Cooder is a quality "he doesn't even go here" addition because I guess technically Americans can be part of "World Music"?

++: Bonde, Soukora, Sega, Amandrai, Keito, Banga, Ai Du +: Lasidan, Diaraby +-: Gomni 9,0/10

The very first one of my albums of the day that I was unfamiliar with and my wife really really liked. Into the library it goes. 4.5/5

I liked this album in concept. When I listened too closely I heard pretty standard blues music. All and all though, a pretty comforting listen. 3.5/5 -> 4/5

Perfect for the early evening after a hot day.

this is a good one, and exactly the kind of stuff i wish there was more of on the list. i wish it'd throw me way outta my comfort zone with genres i've never even considered more often... like, i see the wikipedia info box listing it as an hour of "malian folk" and i'm like "fuck yes, im down". i (obviously?) don't understand a word of the lyrics, but i don't need to know that to appreciate the rich bluesy sound. i don't think i could really choose a favourite track here cos it really is all great, although, if i'm being honest, it is also a little bit because it does fade into the background for me. it's hard to lock onto, and not too much particularly jumps out and grabs me about any of the tracks. but i think that's at least partly due to the language barrier..? and maybe also the track length to some extent. while i enjoy the sound a lot, and have already listened like 6 times, it's hard to justify a 5 for an album that's largely just been unable to grab my attention fully. so i guess i'm giving it a very strong 4 instead for now, and might bump it up if i finally manage to lock in fully on a future listen. for what it's worth though.... it really is stellar background music.

I wasn't expecting more than one foray into Songhai music or desert blues, but I'll take it! that Songhoy Blues album I listened to some time ago was a real gem, so I was excited to get a glimpse into the musical world of Ali Farka Touré, one of the progenitors of this fusion of traditional Malian music with elements of American blues. Talking Timbuktu was produced by guitarist Ry Cooder for the World Circuit label, with which he was also involved in the creation of some other fantastic international crossovers, especially Afro-Cuban records like the legendary Buena Vista Social Club. like on Buena Vista, Cooder also adds a wide range of instrumental contributions to the proceedings, though I appreciate that he plays a lot more of a background or accompaniment role here most of the time. his turns on electric guitar are great, but Touré's time and feel on that instrument are mesmerizing, so I'm glad Cooder saw fit to let him lead the charge there. these are the types of grooves that really suck me in; there's a strong sense of swing here, but not in a jazz sense. it's the way these various uneven pulses stack against each other in polyrhythm, locking in and out while the harmony stays still to let you focus on it all. John Patitucci shows up for a few tracks, which definitely earns this album some bonus points. decent 8/10.

Played it in my office several times, really enjoyed it. Great album, awesome gutar work.

I enjoyed this a whole lot. There was a real blend of genres at different points with some heavy American blues influences alongside whatever the hell other countries were being represented here. Some songs veered a little on the dull side but they were still just good vibes.

jaaaa ry cooder das isch huuuere cool, mali desert blues und ry cooder goodness. huere fun. will meh. sehr laid back alles, und er singt huere coool. s blibt leider nöd soo viel hange. amandray isch meega classic blues und de ry macht sin slide shit drüber ou fuck yea ich lieb afoch wie de ry cooder spielt und de ali farka toure hets au huere druf werde keine unwahrheiten verbreiten. ai du isch en schwizerdütsche titel oder? huere geil. giige solo? äh jo gern? de letst track isch sooo schön häää? das isch so geil? gitarre mached sache oooh yes.

öhh de ahfang vo bonde hani gfühlt auscho ghört d melodie vo so westafrikanischem gsang (ja us unwüsseheit verallgemeinere ich sorry) isch eifach soo schön und iwie beruhigend? ICH LIEB SOUKORA s gitarrespiel und perkussion isch glichzitig so reduziert aber au villschichtig? gfalltmer megaa amandrai het en coole blues-groove okee ich han chli abgschalte will nöd megaaa vill verschiednigs passiert, aber ich hans mega schön gfunde!

Saved to library

Allez, 156e album et ça n'est que mon deuxième album d'un artiste africain. Mais pas n'importe qui ! Ali Farka Touré, bordel ! Hier Duke Ellington, aujourd'hui Ali Farka Touré, je suis sur une bonne série ! Alors évidemment, ce n'est pas facile de se lancer dans un album du guitariste malien. Il crée de la musique malienne pure et dure, l'auditeur étranger manque forcément du contexte culturel ou de la connaissance de la langue (à part pour les rares passages en français) pour comprendre la musique. On est donc obligés de l'aborder tout en sachant qu'on n'en captera pas l'essence. Cela dit, la musique d'Ali Farka Touré est chaude, elle est riche en émotion, son chant est très expressif est reconnaissable entre mille. Certaines mélodies trottent en tête et perso, j'en redemande. Cet album est particulier, puisqu'il a été réalisé en collaboration avec un certain Ry Cooder (inconnu au bataillon chez moi), qui apporte des influences extérieures, plus occidentales. Et si on reste d'abord et avant tout sur un album d'Ali Farka Touré, on sent qu'il n'est pas tout seul et l'instrumentation est parfois plus proche de ce qu'on a l'habitude d'entendre en occident. Cela dit, cette collaboration ne dénature par du tout la musique, elle est simplement plus métissée qu'à l'accoutumée. C'est peut-être ça qui rend l'album si accessible et qui explique son succès, mais perso, c'est aussi un peu ce que je reprocherais à ce choix. Je pense qu'un pur album d'Ali Farka Touré aurait été plus représentatif et plus intéressant pour la liste. Mais je ne boude pas mon plaisir, je suis très content d'avoir eu cet album à écouter aujourd'hui !

New to me. Really liked it!

Definitely revolves around a single sound. But tracks are really good

RAW as fuck. What language is this. These noises please me.

3.5

I enjoyed listening to this album. The guitar work was really amazing, but sometimes the vocals were a little overpowering, and I obviously don’t know what he’s saying. Definitely gives me Khruangbin vibes, but with more vocals. I would definitely listen to this again.

Nice background music for work

I enjoyed this - I don't know that we needed more than one album from this pair though!

Nice bluesy music.

Love Ali Farke Toure, so this is right in my lane. First half of the album is stronger but it’s a great record to relax to and get lost in

Sounds like holidays - exotic, pleasant jam. Not my daily listen but nice!

This is almost a five for me. So chill, so musical, such good vibes. If I can fault it anything, it's that it maybe gets a little boring at times. But regardless, this has entered my regular rotation.

Beautiful. Man I could really follow Cooder's name around to find lovely recordings I'd never otherwise know about. Wish I'd been at Folk Fest in 1988!

4 or 5 hmmm - let's do 4.5 - this was awesome. such an unlikely pair, but the language of music is universal and so beautiful, I love these 2 tg!!! Cooder is a legend and Ali Tourè too, from the other side of the planet.

Love a bit of Ali Farka Tourre.

such a jam, really got me through the day, great vibes

Et skønt album, der giver en del bedre mening på listen end det sidste vi havde med ham. Det sidste nummer er så godt

1 - Bonde (nice relaxed guitar with a distinctly arid tone. Touré's catchy, sing along vocal lines (if one could sing along to the Songhai lyrics) compliment the laid-back mood very well. Though it's bluesy in structure it's ultimately much more optimistic) 4.5/5 2 - Soukoura (much more relaxed and less energetic than the already laid-back opener. The percussion is a little more forward and almost makes this into an island retreat kind of song. Things really kick up in the second half as a harp-like instrument comes further forward; it almost sounds like a kora. A little overlong but a fine addition to this album regardless) 3.5/5 3 - Gomni (a slinky and much more evident piece of desert blues. Complimented by the repetitive groove that belies the intensity (which is entirely speculative as I have no idea what the song is about.) Slightly overlong as was the last one but this one feels more succinct in a way) 3.5/5 4 - Sega (an interlude largely led by a violin solo with some percussion hidden behind it. A fine break from the desert blues of the previous 3 tracks and a sort of atmospheric piece meant to recall the desert at night) 3.5/5 5 - Amandrai (a slow and langorous guitar intro opens this song and the mood persists throughout the song's 9-minute runtime. A violin comes in here and there to add to the wibble-wobbling desert caravan roaming through this song. The steely guitar tone makes its presence worth it especially as it picks up and begins soloing late into the song. Touré's performance here is very John Lee Hooker, though he long insisted that his sound predated Hooker and that the music he played was older than the blues. All in all an excellent inclusion and probably a key track) 4/5 6 - Lasidan (the resonator guitars on here are a welcome change from the previous pieces; feels like Cooder was more involved with the second half than the first. This song is much more energetic than most of the previous fare and at this point midway through the album it's a well-needed breath of fresh air. Touré also sounds more engaged here than on any other track. This was probably the joyous, freeing atmosphere Touré and Cooder sought on this album and it mostly comes together here) 4.5/5 7 - Keito (Touré's trademark tone sets the stage for some French spoken verses. There's also a slight tambura drone here and there so despite its slower pacing comparable to the first half, the intermittent drones over the relaxed guitar really set it apart, as do the call-and-response voices towards the end, which really leans into the hypnotic feel of the whole thing) 4/5 8 - Banga (a second violin and percussion interlude, this one more animated than the previous one. It's also more repetitive but, like the previous interlude, offers a change of pace and a display of a lesser-known instrumental style from the African continent; perfect for a Western breakthrough album like this one I suppose) 3.5/5 9 - Ai Du (the African percussion has been replaced with a drum set more in line with Western blues conventions. A distinctive crossover song with a traditional blues structure alongside Touré's plaintive voice, accompanied as always by the violin and guitar backup. The violin in particular is noteworthy as it takes the place of the usual electric guitar during solos. There's also the return of the kora/harp instrument in the latter half that really adds to this crossover highlight. A strong key track and a high point of this album) 4.5/5 10 - Diaraby (a moodier and more pensive song closes out this album. It captures the feeling of nightfall on the desert very well and at times sounds like a mourning song. There's also some additional details like a faint accordion sound and a huge sounding guitar that sounds bowed coming in at various points to capture feelings of loneliness and vast expanse. Things brighten for brief moments before returning to the standard. For such a guitar-heavy album there's relatively few extended solo sections, with this song having some of them across its runtime. A very subdued but memorable note to close out this album) 4.5/5 OVERALL - 8/10

"Talking Timbuktu" is a collaboration album by Malian guitarist Ali Farka Touré and American guitarist/producer Ry Cooder. Malian folk is the sole Wiki-listed genre. The album was acclaimed for "its intimate, warm and conversational guitar interplay, offering a "chilled-out" yet emotionally deep experience." Commercially, album sales reached at least 100,000 copies throughout Europe. The album opens with "Bonde." A finger-picking high-pitched guitar. A handclap, African beat. Cooder comes in with his guitar and we hear the aforementioned guitar interplay. Touré with high tenor vocals and repeating, echoing backing vocals. The musical tone is more of the African desert blues. The next song, "Soukora," continues with a high-pitched guitar riff but a gentler beat/percussion. This music is more in the traditional Malian/African folk style. "Lasidan" picks up the pace. A happier sounding tone. It has a groove. Great guitar melodic interplay between an acoustic and electric guitar. "Au Du" has a blues beat and two bluesy guitars. This is the most American-sounding blues song on the album. Touré is making his guitar sound like a violin...maybe its Cooder. The album ends with "Diaraby." Back to the high-pitched guitar and desert blues. Cooder adds a slide guitar and we get maybe the most obvious fusion of blues styles on the album. The focus of the album is the guitar interplay of Touré and Cooder. There's African percussion but it's mostly in the background. There's also vocals in just about all the songs but probably in 50% of the musical space. There's guitar tone is the star of the show. Cooder adds an electric or even a slide guitar but is clearly giving way to Touré. The musical styles are mostly desert blues and traditional Malian folk but they do go American blues in one song. This album reminded me of the other Malian album I had, Songhoy Blues' "Music in Exile." This is a very good album and worth checking out for just about everybody especially blues fans.

Would have loved to hear this guy collab with Stevie Ray Vaughn or Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

I’ve heard this before. I said this in a previous review but I don’t like the production on a lot of African records from the late 80s onwards where the sound is softened and sweetened to the point of being saccharine. Which is unfortunate here because these are great songs. Once you get past the production, there’s a good drone blues sound like what I’d expect John Lee hooker or Junior Kimbrough would make if they were from the Niger delta rather than the Mississippi.

7/10 Favorite: Ai Du

The best of both worlds or something

Nice

Pretty

I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump down to a 4. It’s an inoffensively groovy album, which is a strength & a curse. It’s a strength in that I don’t think there’s ever a bad track here, and if you allow yourself to get into that groove, these tracks will generally pass by without incident & hit you in a really nice way. It’s a curse in that if you can’t get into that groove, these tracks will feel far longer than they are, and their looping patterns & melodies will feel incessant. For me, I can’t say the curse ever hit me too badly, but there are moments where it pops in & just kinda leaves me more critical of the lack of progression at some points. It’s easy to say “all of these tracks are the same”, especially with the acoustic / percussion work, but that undermines the fact that each song has different melodies & rhythms, and that each is sung in one of four different languages – there’s variety here, even if it doesn’t really feel like it at times. Ultimately, since it’s hard to go track by track here, my rating is entirely based on a vibe. I think there’s some really good tracks here, a few mediocre (yet nice) ones, and only one that really had the length of the track / monotony of the loop strike me in a less appealing way (“Amandrai”, the longest one here). As with the Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan album we got a few days ago, I can’t really say that it’s an album you need to hear before you die in terms of critical acclaim or a “mandatory” piece of work, but as I said when we got “Savane”, I think it’s a recommended listen, if only for the cultural trip of sorts. This album did do more for me than “Savane”, and honestly, on a good day, it might even bump itself up to a 5. I think it’s a really enjoyable project for background noise / vibing to, and while I’m bumping it down to a 4, it’s still got a vote of confidence from me. Good stuff.

A pleasure to listen to.

I'll never not like this guy. Ry Cooder is just a cherry on top of some epic instrumentals

I slightly preferred this one over Savane, but not by a large margin. Overall, really good and compelling throughout. Favourite track: Gomni

Malian folk. Great vibe. Super blues-y in a lot of ways, with the down-tempo electric guitar riffs. Breaks down the language barrier to create an hour of a chill soundtrack that I'll certainly be coming back to.

Will basically always get down with desert blues or blues in general

Album Review 083 Talking Timbuktu by Ali Farka Toure (1994) Rating 4/5 I’d heard Ali Farka Toure’s name many times before knowingly sitting down to listen to him, and Talking Timbuktu didn’t disappoint when the 1001generator dealt it to me. In short, it’s him, his bandmates and Ry Cooder jamming along, playing west-African blues on clean, slightly-reverby guitars. A nice chilled record, I’ll definitely be listening to more of Farka Toure’s work.

I liked the singing and a lot of the guitar riffs

beautiful stuff. wish I could understand it more

well nice. just gives me v positive vibes, music for a sunny day 7 / 10 Best tunes: Soukara, Lasidan, Ai Du

This is why I am on this journey. Albums like this. Never heard of it, absolutely loved it.

This was such a different album from what I’d normally listen to, but I enjoyed it and I was so easily absorbed into the atmosphere of it. I think the tracks could have been a bit shorter, but the music itself was so rhythmically hypnotic that it never really became unpleasant ortiresome. There is heavy American blues influence across tracks, but the blend with the traditional Malian percussion patterns created a groove that really resonated with me. I love how even though the tracks are pretty much all built on repeating rhythmic patterns with sparse instrumentation, each one feels very distinct from the next. Toure’s guitar playing had a cyclical, trance like quality to it, and listening through the entire album was genuinely somewhat meditative for me. To be honest, I did not look up the lyrics, so I have no idea what they were about, so the vocals acted more like another musical element for me.

While one wishes for the type of diversity that doesn’t involve collaborating with an American guitarist, one takes what little one can get on this list. It was pretty solid. Fell off a bit towards the end due to repetition, but otherwise an easy listen front-to-back. I’ll take “Bonde” and “Amandrai” as my favorites, with the latter being a much needed change of pace in the tracklisting. Light 4/5 a jam

3.5 - Good

One of the most solid guitar albums I've ever heard. This guy is just amazing and was killing it the whole record. You can tell he was just dialed in and right in the zone. I imagine he was mesmerizing to watch live.

Interesting one, bluesy African jam. Enjoyed it. khruangbin i Took some nspiration, maybe from Khruangbin

Very good.

Weirdly a banger, really liked this one

"Talking Timbuktu" is a very beautiful album. I find myself glad to live in a world where people make music such as this. I do think this album is a little too repetitive to be one I come back to frequently, but it is quality music all the same.

Enjoyable, bluesy and African.

This is one of the relatively few albums on here that I truly knew *nothing* about going in. It's also one of my favorite albums I knew absolutely nothing about. For some reason, I started listening without reading anything, and during the listening, I honestly wasn't even entirely sure what genre of music this would be considered. But I did get some research done, and it has helped a little. Ali Farka Touré is from Mali, and this album is considered Malian folk music. Although, it really seems like a couple of these songs are also blues inspired, but I do not know if that's actually true. Also, the other artist credited on the front is Ry Cooder, who it turns out has extensive history playing guitar with celebrated musicians. Anyways, Talking Timbuktu is really good. The songs here are largely on the lengthier side, and they use their time well. This album has a great atmosphere, and the compositions themselves are repetitive but extremely detailed. It almost feels like jam music in a way. I don't fully understand who's doing what here, but I get the sense that chemistry is extremely important. Talking Timbuktu ends up really immersive and transportative, and enjoyable to listen to. I don't feel particularly qualified to really break this one down, but I did thoroughly enjoy myself regardless.

Gotta love West African music. I’ll gladly add this 10th Ali Farka Touré album to my library.

This is top-tier relaxation music that actually has some teeth to it. The interplay between the instruments is fun and feels very organic. It is rare to find an album this pretty that doesn't feel cheesy or overproduced. Definitely a keeper for my morning coffee routine. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions - Bonde - Soukora - Amandrai - Ai Du

great repeat listen

Very interesting. Loved the exposure to new cultural music. Definitely a vibe to it.

I don't think this is the most groundbreaking stuff but I really enjoy the Malian regional sounds.

Afro-jazz vibe

Muy distinto a lo que estoy acostumbrada, muy buenoooooo. me gusto. no lo escucharia todo el tiempo, pero tener de fondo, los sonidos me gustan mucho.

Love Mali guitar.

Gibt mir wieder so schöne Mdou Moctar-Vibes. Unglaublich spannende Musik, in der man sich gut verlieren kann, auch wenn in den Songs selbst gar nicht mal so viel passiert. Die weniger westlich inszenierten Stücke haben mich etwas rausgebracht, aber sie bringen nochmal etwas Abwechslung mit rein.

A good mixing of musical styles. 4 stars or B+.

Enjoyed this one way more than the other album I've heard from him. My main complaint about the other album was the length of the songs and the (perceived) lack of development as they progressed. The songs did feel feel like they developed here even if still overstaying their welcome a bit.

> the Beatles

Great Music and good vibes.

Such a unique vibe, a mixture of so many styles and a very sunny listen. Gave it 4 and not 5 because it went on a little long but I liked having this one on.

1/6 Interesting world music. Will keep it in rotation

Good stuff though it does go on kinda long

Type de musique que mes darons mettent en fond quand ils lisent. Update : je l’ai effectivement écouté avec mes darons et ils ont kiffé

cool album. No idea what it is about but love the tunes

Cool, chill guitar playing

I do really enjoy West African music, and this is a great example of that. energetic and friendly.

NIce combo

This is a good album to read a book and have a decent coffee or tea on a cold or rainy morning. It's good, chill and I have no clue what they are singing about but will put this album on a cold winter morning that I have nothing to do but relax.

Good morning.

unexpectedly blues-y

It is a very interesting album musically. Didn't understand a single lyric, but I try to never really count that against my ratings of non-english albums. Good listen.

It’s an interesting listen that helps to connect African music directly to the blues that stemmed from it originally.

Really nice album. Mostly eastern vibe with western influence from Ry Cooder. Not a bad listen. Not sure I'd put it on again but it was worth the experience.

Crossover mellem amerikansk roots rock og vestafrikansk musik. Han var kendt i Mali men ikke på verdensplan inden dette. World var begyndt at blive mere populært, man søgte inspiration i mange forskellige dele af verden til musik. genren er Malian blues/desert blues som er præget af at være hypnotisk og gentagende og det tror jeg godt jeg kan lide. Det kan man se som element i andre genre jeg rigtig godt kan lide. Det er også kaldt bluesens urform, da den amerinske blues kan spores tilbage her til. World giver lidt sig selv, det er samarbejde på international plan mellem forskellige kulturer. Det er dog stadig rettet mod et vestligt publikum bare med ikke vestlige traditioner. Det er virkelig god lyd og virkelig analogt. Alt ved det føles ærligt og også meget spirituelt. Jeg kan godt lide spiritualitet, men jeg tror det er fordi det er det tætteste jeg kommer på det jeg føler. Selvom jeg vil sige jeg har en mere sociologisk tilgang til mit verdenssyn eller en mere videnskabelig hvis man ville kalde det dét. Det er dog fedt bare at lytte til to mennesker som connecter over ens værdier og musikalitet.

An extremely chill sound.

Hypnotic

Really cool desert/Afro blues record!

There are some great riffs on this album. My main critique is that they will often stay on one for much longer than is interesting. Despite that it is overall very enjoyable.

Pretty good listen, and nice to get something not from a country that starts with "United." Not sure how often I'll come back to this, but I'm glad I heard it.

Good stuff

This was an interesting album. While it's cool that there's a blues element, I just don't like blues. This seemed a bit repetitive, too. That being said, this was a fun listen. I'll give it a 4.

Gostei. Achei que faltou gritaria.

uma vibe ne

Pegada muito diferente, adorei esse instrumental e o ritmo! Em algumas partes achei um pouco cansativo, como Amandrai que apesar de ótima tem seus extensos 9 minutos com poucas variações (e a batida mais lenta) Mereceu nota alta pela qualidade mas não escutaria ele de novo em um dia só que achei meio loucura e até mesmo torturante, nem ouvi as 3 ultimas sinceramente. Acredito que as músicas mais soltas em certos momentos de espírito vem bem a calhar Side note: tô achando meio cansativo escutar álbuns inteiros principalmente quando não casa com meu mood do dia, provavelmente darei uma sumida por aqui!

muito gostoso de ouvir!!!! me passa vibes de longas viagens de carro olhando pela janela ou então curtindo animada c os outros (tbm no carro) imaginei todo um filme c o álbum dea trilha sonora. inclusive, o meinho de Amandrai me lembrou de paris, texas kkk não dou mais nota pq infelizmente n entendo o q tao falando e eu n gosto de não entender o idioma

Good stuff, glad I learned about this one.

I don't understand some of these super negative reviews. Even of it ain't your music..one has to damit the guy can jam. I liked the whole album, it will be especially magnificent on a hot summer evening sitting on the patio with an umbrella drink in my hand.

Inter

I really enjoyed most of this album. Having the same production sound of the guitar gets old for me rather quickly, but that nitpicking. This is a good choice to have on in the background. "Lasidan", "Ai Du", and "Gomni" were the standouts for me. And, when Ry Cooder decides to throw his brand of blues into the fray, you can REALLY feel it.

Cultural appropriation probably isn't appropriate. These days we call it a collab. Both styles suit each other, with Ry Cooder holding down the more freestyle Mali approach. Makes we want to go and listen to some Andy Kershaw.

Mali blues at its best.

I liked this a lot. Hadn’t heard Ali Farka Toure previously, but had heard some of Cooder’s work before having played with Beefheart. This album has a really nice atmosphere and sound. The playing is immaculate, as you’d expect. A nice end to an unchallenging week in the list.

love this album from way back in the day, but have to admit I don't love every song

Gotta say I liked this one- Ali Farka Toure, for sure- Ry Cooder? I’m a bit mixed, but this combo worked nicely. Would own on vinyl

Jossai kolmosen ja nelosen välis

Beautiful, understated guitar work. African blues record. Meditative in its use of repetition.

Perhana että oli kovaa aavikkobluesia!! 4/5

Mielenkiintoista, että miljoona bändiä Briteistä ja jenkeistä ja sit joku tämmönen malilainen kitaristi kahdesti :D maailmanmusiikki/5. Ihan hyvä levy kyl!

I put this on and lay in the bath on a Sunday morning and just vibed with it. I got out after three tracks because I didn't want to turn into a prune but could have stayed longer. A couple of the tracks used a screechy violin-type instrument that wasn't really enjoyable but otherwise it was great. If anyone enjoyed this and wants another Touré album not on the list I would recommend his first collaboration record with Malian kora player Toumani Diabete from 2005.

Fue una emotiva sorpresa. Eso sí, no puedo evitar pensar que a lo mejor sólo está aquí por Ry Cooder, es decir, un disco de AFT nunca habría entrado por sí solo.

Solid chill sounds

Vibe incroyable. Un ami m'a offert ce disque en 2001 alors que c'était un album déjà "vieux" de 7 ans. Ç'a été un grower pour moi et je l'apprécie toujours un peu plus à chaque écoute. La version de Diaraby vaut l'écoute à elle seule.

I had no idea I needed an album of African music married to American Blues, but I did and now I have it. Sometimes, the list delivers. I feel like I've been a student of blues guitar for a major portion of my life and I'm a little ashamed that I'd never come across Ali Farka Toure before today. To compensate, I've spent the day dabbling in his catalog. This album shines when AFT takes the lead and we get his style of mellow African blues, but there are times when (I assume) Ry Cooder takes the reins and we get a bolder version of 'American South' Blues. Those are my least favorite moments because they kill the momentum of the album for me. Don't get me wrong, I love the blues, but I'm here to listen to Ali Farka Toure be "the African John Lee Hooker" not Ry Cooder trying to be John Lee Hooker. The collaboration is successful in eliciting more blues than AFT typically employs on his own records, and that's a plus even if it's overdone at times. Overall, Ali Farka Toure is a big thumbs up from me!

Very chilled. Very Toure.

Bit of a hidden gem. Liked the very chilled vibe

Really enjoyed the mix of blues and African roots music. Shouldn't really be surprised how well that works. Cooder's guitar work is amazing.

This was fun to listen to.

257/1089 - Liked this more than I thought I would. I still think the "world music" picks are too westernized on this list. Nothing against this album it's a collaboration between a blues guitarist and a Malian folk guitarist; I knew what I was getting in to. Onto the music: I like mid-bar variation and consider it a must have to make interesting music which only a couple songs on this album utilized.

Fucking banger

More Ali Farka Toure, is it? I’m cool with that. There were some lovely examples of those summery African grooves I like, as well as some darker, more brooding grooves that I also quite like. Tracks 5 and 9 seem like a harmonious blend of African and American blues - is the latter Cooder’s influence? I find it hard to tell. It gets a bit repetitive at times, especially in the middle of the album, but as I mainly had this on in the background while working I can’t say that bothered me too much. 3.5

Beautiful guitar playing. I love the fusion of African and Delta blues styles here. Very nice to have on as I worked.

Junto con Toumani Diabaté, es uno de los pilares de la música africana (al margen del inigualable Fela Kuti). Este disco con otro excelente músico como es Ry, fue su carta de presentación al público occidental y como pasó pocos años después con Buenavista Social Club, el flechazo fue instantáneo. Ai Du, es Summertime pero en clave Blues... Música orgánica, que suena natural, sincera. Claro que esto entro brillante y reluciente en pleno auge del Brit Rock, grunge y demás géneros que sonaban entonces. Este disco se mantiene igual que entonces...

Quite liked this, although it was a bit repetitive and sometimes faded into the background. I really enjoyed the overall vibe though. The guitar playing was excellent, like American blues played with a distinctly West African flavor. I didn't like the fiddle centred songs as much, but didn't hate them either.

A very exotic album, but incredibly palatable. It does well, but only on specific occasions, I believe. 7/10

Very cool album. Not a masterpiece, though.

Ah I remember this guy! Ali Farka Toure! Lowkey this is such a vibe though. Like understanding: 0 but enjoyment: 10.

This was like, African blues? A-frickin' loved it

Was already a bit familiar due to the collab album between his son and Khruangbin. I loved this record and ended up listening to another of Ali Farka Touré's records later in the day. Ry Cooder's slide guitar intertwined seamlessly, Ali's voice is rich and soulful, and the riffs get wedged in your head in the best way.

Perfect for a Sunday train ride…hypnotic, relaxing, melodic, and beautiful guitar tones from two masters. Will definitely be playing around with some of these tunes when i get home. Sometimes i wonder if there’s something freeing about not speaking the language the lyrics are in, you can just enjoy the music.

Just lovely.

Good stuff

Pretty damn cool. Forever indebted to Ry Cooder for he has brought forth world music for my casual consumption. Surely nothing out of this world ground breaking but it certainly is exciting to hear some well produced African style blues music in such high fidelity.

Without a doubt the most interesting album so far and probably a stable for the future. Songs I can get lost in, like Diaraby. Ry Cooder is a cool guy.

Whoa, this album was pretty cool - very bluesy and very rhythmic

Really enjoyed this. I will definitely come back to listen again in the future.

Some lovely guitar work. Fortunately the sun was out when I listened to it as I don’t think it would have had the same impact in the rain…

Have listen to both individually but didn’t know they’d collaborated. It’s good, I like the grooves they get into. Rather than get the most from both, I feel like they are both perhaps playing it a bit safe so neither necessarily take the limelight though? Definitely heard more virtuosic performances in some of their other music but enjoyed it from start to finish nonetheless.

Very pleasant!

This was really cool guitar work.

Shit, did I just become an NPR member and now list "world-music" as my defining personality trait? This isn't a genre I tend to seek out - something more you encounter unexpectedly. It's solid - it's worldly. I wouldn't change it if it came on, but it's not exactly something that would always pull me in - there would have to be a situation for it.

Great sounding album - such a unique guitar style. It serves great a background music to work to.

Interesting combo of blues and African music

Interesting I get a second album from this guy in a week. The combo of desert blues and delta blues or whatever was cool

Loved this. Very chill vibes

A relaxing and meditative listen. Very impressed on first listen.

vibe, but too long

If Ry Cooder is a cultural appropriator, one's very grateful for it. There’s a little bit of a “field study” vibe here, but it's a deep and moving delight to here such exquisite playing, though it’s excelled (IMHO) by both In the Heart of the Moon and (of course) Savane.

Great acoustic sounds from two great string players. This was really good.

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: Gomni A second world desert folk album on the List. I personally liked Songhoy Blues', Music In Exile more than this, but this was also pretty good. Easy listening. No understandable lyrics to get hung up on. Can't complain.

absoloutely lovely stuff

Nice and relaxing

Excellent, sweet guitar and rolling desert blues

7/10

Didnt finish this either but from what I heard, pretty good. Dont know wtf he was sayin but it was smooth as hell. West African John Mayer or rather we got American Ali Farka Toure. Will return to this one later

Such a beautiful relaxing album. It's been years since I listened to it so was glad this refreshed my memory

This was a lovely guitar jam with beautiful instrumentation and percussion, incredible production and vocals, and unique atmospheric backdrops on each track. What a neat find!

A solid intimate and cultural record that makes you forget about the outside world for a bit. I had a great time with this one.

Songs and sounds amorphize in such a way that passive listening turns into active listening, and vice versa, across what inevitably becomes extended listening as its world grabs ahold.

A fine album, ticks along nicely..

1994. Malian Folk. Blues. Hiphop. 9/10 Bonde / Gomni /

Pleasant album. Enough diversity and rhythm to keep an interest. I’ll listen again.

Cool! Like it!

Really really good album, not something ill listen to a song or two of but would definetly run through again.

Was a fun album. Ry Cooder seems interesting too. I vibed with it. Good shit. 3.5/5

Gina listened to this with me and we really enjoyed it. As with some other non-english language albums my inability to understand the lyrics makes me really rely on the music to gauge the mood or intention of the song and this was a delightful mix of joyous energy, slow blues and even some spiritual sounding songs. The guitar work from Ali Farka Touré and Ry Cooder is first rate and often quite hypnotic. It was easy to get lost during some of the longer songs. A good recommendation here of something I hadn't been aware of - if you're open to something a little different, give this a spin!

I got all excited about this when it was released by Peter Gabriel's World Music label.. opened my ears to there being good music in other parts of the world besides USA and England.

I like this! I’ve heard it before and I’ve heard him on other things too.

If you remember the '90's, you remember Barnes & Noble and the endless amount of time you spent in the bookstore sifting through their magazines, art books, and slowly working your way through all the CDs in their music section. You also, no doubt remember this album playing nonstop every time you went in to Barnes & Noble. If you don't, you didn't spend as much time in that store as I did. Innocuously entertaining on a subconscious level. This album can either put you in the mood to buy another copy of Howl, The Raven or just sit and read the most recent issue of Quilting Monthly.

#1089! I made it! And I love “Talking Timbuktu” as a final album, largely due to Ry Cooder. Not that Ali Farka Touré isn’t great - I talked about his talent and global influence in my “Savane” review. But this is the only album on the list with Cooder credited by name in the title and cover, despite a broad ranging and influential career. He plays on several albums on the list, from this one to Captain Beefheart to the Rolling Stones to Buena Vista Social Club. What a diverse and fascinating career — and fantastic slide guitar work and a great ear for music (Beefheart excepted) woven through it all. So “Talking Timbuktu” is pretty cool, a great little snapshot of the evolution and interweaving of musical styles over time and the power of music to bring peoples and cultures together.

I'm coming to the end of this journey soon and thought I was done with world music. I was pleasantly surprised to find this awaiting me this morning. I enjoyed it!! The list has taught me that I like this sort of relaxing world music.

Rompe con todo. Música étnica es obvio, pero los puentes hechos no sobran. Gusta mucho aunque no es para nuestros oídos profanos darle tanto tiempo al rezo

This album pretty much mixes traditional African musical styles with blues. It was actually a pretty enjoyable listen, and it had a very earthy, organic, and soulful vibe. Thankfully, it didn’t go on for more than an hour, because I did find myself starting to get a little bored toward the end.

grew up with this one

Good jazz and blues come in any languague. This was a great album its my bad for not knowing the la guague but musicwise is amazing.

I hadn’t heard of Ali Farka Toure just a few days ago, and now I’ve heard two of his albums. This felt in much the same vein as Savane, in that it is nice and chill and wouldn’t feel out of place being played in a cafe. Again, the lyrics go over my head so I can’t comment on how deep and meaningful they may be, but the music itself is pleasant enough.

Really enjoyed this, good to learn the name of this gifted musician and performer. I'd like to hear him without Ry as well but it all seemed to mesh well.

A mix of blues and West African music. I love the way this album just washes over you. I like desert blues , so this is right up my alley. With a consistent style and no lyrics on most tracks. It doesn’t need to cover an hour. Still, very beautiful Low 4

This is a cool record, it feels very honest and reflective of the culture it comes from, while also being a good listen and well produced.

Sometimes it drags on a little bit, but it had a strong start and my favourite was Lasidan. I loved the summer-y vibe of the guitar

Nice, ages well

Very pleasant listen! Easy to throw on as background music but also sounded nice whenever I actively tuned in.

Talking Timbuktu was very refreshing at this point in the challenge. Laid back and full of warmth, it had me in a good mood with just its first few songs. Although some of the middle tracks felt a bit drawn out on first listen, the overall vibe was strong enough to briefly make me consider a 5⭐️. Definitely one I will keep in the rotation and could see growing on me with time.

Gorgeous, mellow and a well balanced record - the kind that would fit a lazy afternoon, a walk in the sun or even a rainy evening. Of course cannot appreciate the words but the music is lovely. And it makes for a good album start to finish.

I like a bit of Ali Farka Touré, though I'm a lot more familiar with a couple of his later records. I'm also quite a big fan of Ry Cooder so, on paper at least, this should be a shoo-in. I wouldn't say it was as arresting as some of the work I've heard from either musician elsewhere but it is a charming listen. A low-key, mellow, desert blues.

I am happy to be exposed to this music due to this list. Fantastic instrument playing by all involved. 3.5/5

For an album in a language I do not speak, this completely blew me away, as well as introduced me to several other world artists such as Boubacar Traore(Kele), Oumou Sangare(Ah Ndiya), The Touré-Raichel Collective(Azawade), and Vieux Farka Touré (Slow Jam). A really great into to African music.

Amazing. Felt like I was gonna have a epic showdown at dusk.

These African desert blues make chill background music. I’m familiar with Ali Farka Toure as I’ve had one of his albums for 20ish years. I don’t feel the need to come back to this style of music everyday, but occasionally it comes in to cleanse my musical palette and make me interested again in the variety of music that exists in the world.

This was a lovely album, it had a soothing quality and a nice variety of musical compositions. My favorite track was Soukora, it's the kind of song that can heal your soul and make the ugly in the world fall away. Also really liked the bluesy Amandrai and Ai Du, they're so chill and hypnotic. I would've loved to see him perform live.

THIS is the kind of mix I hoped for when I read this guy’s bio! A very interesting and enjoyable album. Far superior to Ali Farka Touré‘s other album on this list.

Super chill album

I honestly loved this album. This is what this list is all about—finding awesome albums that I would’ve never found before if I was just listening. 4/5 because after a while it felt repetitive but there was enough variety where I enjoyed the whole listen. Would definitely listen again 100%

Fantastic guitar, great drums, Good vibes, Great album high 4

Dope guitar. Some parts reminded me of Graceland

One of my favs so far

Very good!

This is the kind of "world" music I really dig. I love how it feels familiar and yet different. The blues mixed with folk elements really work.

Not bad. I'm not the biggest fan of world music, but I can enjoy it every so often. A lot of fun guitar parts in this one, and you can defintely hear the Ry Cooder input. My standout song is Lasidan.

Have never heard of this artist and didn’t realise who Ry Cooder was but damn this was a treat.

I know Ry Cooder mainly from his work producing the blockbuster project Buena Vista Social Club, which was essentially a supergroup of mostly retired legendary Cuban musicians. This album predates that by a couple years and sees him lending his guitar playing in addition to producing. That's one of the main differences I hear between this and Savane, the Ali Farka Touré album we reviewed last week. As was the case with Buena Vista, the production is crisp and clean and showcases the musicianship and unique textures of Touré's desert blues. I also notice the influence of Delta blues, especially on "Amandrai" and "Ai Du," which adds some nice fiddle accents.

I like Toure, though would not go out of my way to find one of his albums as I find there are a lot of other desert blues artists out there that I simply prefer more. I like Cooder, though would not go out of my way to find one of his albums as I find there are a lot of other guitarists out there that I simply prefer more. But I own this album. Because together, they made something great (not unlike Cooder's contributions to 'Buena Vista Social Club'.) Some artists are best as the main course. Others are better as ingredients mixed together. As for the recording, it's has a wonderful live room sound. Sounds great. And the track 'Soukora' is simply heartwarming.

Great writing, excellent musicianship.

Cool

A step and a half down from Ziggy Stardust, both in song writing and performance, but still...I gotta give it 4 stars, which may tell you more about how highly I rate ZS. I think we have to admit that at this point of his life and his fame, David was pretty fucked up. Don't do drugs, kids. The album is a portrait of a disordered mind, but his musicianship drags some of the material to a higher plane. My favorites are Jean Genie and Panic in Detroit. Drive-In Saturday is good too. The cover art is iconic and worth half a star alone. So, 3.5 stars for the content, .5 stars for the album art? Yeah, whatever.

I like this guy a lot, this is a really cool twist on the blues. Perfect for when the sun is beating down.