Savane

This is not my first "Songhai Blues" record considering I'm familiar with the aptly named blues-rock group Songhoy Blues, but I do find Ali's take on it here very different. It's far less punchy than anything off of 'Music in Exile' for example. Instead, It feels like this album cover, depicting a man sitting on a rocked-back chair with his guitar - translating all his memories, experiences, and burdens into these dense guitar improvisations. The vocals maintain the very smooth, and melodically vibrant style I was expecting though. I'll be the first to admit that longer-form blues albums, especially ones consisting of minimalistic guitar playing and percussion, don't go over well with me. Typically the lyrical aspects are what keep me engaged, but I couldn't even find a reliable translation for the lyrics here. So I'm saying a lot when I say that I loved all 58 minutes of this thing. It's a shimmering album, sun-kissed and Ali's guitar playing is soulful and bright - like a ray of hope in an otherwise bleak landscape. Doing barebones research on the guy, it seems he's a pioneer in this genre - It leaves me wanting to hear some of his earlier stuff, given this was his final studio album released just after his death. The guy's dubbed the African John Lee Hooker, and I see why, I can easily draw a lot of parallels between this and Lee Hooker's Delta blues style. But even as a late-career pick, the meditative nature, varied instrumentation, and subtle layering in the vocals here do wonders in establishing a soundscape that I can just lay in for days. That's the power of good blues music I guess.

african blues is a genre i haven't heard too much of, and this sample is pretty promising. this album is the last of ali farka toure's; he unfortunately passed away a few months after this album released, which makes for a slightly somber atmosphere. it's a very quiet album; it's refreshing to hear a blues album that doesn't feel like it resorts to standard blues conventions. if anything, this is a beautiful little swan song from a songwriter who knew he only had so much time left. it's not the kind of music i listen normally nor am i obsessed with, but it's very notable and worth the listen for the most part in my opinion.

I like the blues but a lot of songs end up similar in sound and structure. This has enough variety to raise it above the average blues album

Love this artist..always has great sounds on his albums. Well worth a few listens

It took 3 listens before this one got it's clutches on me, but once it got now that it's got hold, I don't expect its grip to loosen anytime soon. Hypnotic music that really draws you in. Favourite songs; Yer Bounda Fara, Savane, Penda Yoro, N'Jarou. The common thread; Slow burning intensity, atmospheric and beautiful ensemble playing. Great stuff; 4 stars

The time work on Erdi is really arresting. The title track is awesome. N'jarou is a real soothing closer.

Loved it. Could have this as the backing track to my life. No idea what he’s singing about though.

4.5

Transcendent at times. Super chill vibes, great for quiet night to just drift off to. Listen to the subtleties to his guitar playing. Exciting stuff I will need to check out the rest of Ali's discog

Tolle Gitarrenmusik

Ali Farka Toure performed African Blues, and Savane is the last album he recorded during his lifetime. Toure is one of the most internationally successful musicians from West Africa. He became famous in the 80s and 90s, as interest in "World Music" was developing. Toure was frequently compared to John Lee Hooker, for both vocal and musical style. Toure's vocals tend towards lower pitches, like Hooker's, but Toure's delivery and message is more uplifting. He tends toward simple accompaniment, making his "desert blues" sound similar to Delta Blues in the United States. Toure's work differs significantly from American Blues in the rhythms and tonal scales used. His music is of a very different tradition from American Blues, which makes the similarities all the more fascinating.

Excellent and enjoyable low listening. This one can be a regular.

Really enjoyed this. I love having this kind of music on in the background, great stuff.

Another different kind of music I wouldn’t normally hear, good afropop/African music

Veldig kult, en helt spesiell vibe

This is pretty awesome - would love to hear something like this at Folk Fest.

I didn't even know dessert blues was a thing. It was so different I don't know if it was brilliant or not. But I thought it entertaining

So much fun! This one had me bouncing along in my seat, and I would definitely listen to it again!

Blues with a worldly twist, great ambience. Something I'd never normally listen to, but I'll Definitely give this another spin

I really like when world music comes up on the project, as it’s typically something wholly new for me. You can tell this is music played for the love of it. It is by no means perfect, but it’s better for its flaws. Touré is a wonderful guitarist, and the music as an experience really brings your imagination to life and transports you anywhere

I really like this one, it was new to me and I found it kinda relaxing

Unique and catchy desert groove that transports you

This is a strong album. I'm sad I didn't listen to it before. I've always been a fan of desert blues, even though I didn't know it 🤪.

once again, stepped in musical traditions that i have v little experience with (i dont even have enough knowledge of american blues much less this african fusion). lacking more specific language or fallback mental models ill just say this is v v enjoyable. there is a rly warm and sweet quality to this that certainly stands out against the typical perception of the blues, and probably owes itself to all sorts of things from the geographical move away from the center of antiblack oppression to these songhai/mande traditions i am not familiar with. songs are very hypnotic and can be surprisingly varied in terms of sound palate. a barely posthumous release, im not sure if it was a self-conscious swan song (toure was battling cancer for a long time) but regardless of how it got here, its moving qualities of liveliness and being-at-peace are likely to stick with me

“Blues is my music. It comes from the Niger Delta, not the Mississippi Delta.”

Really enjoyed the cultural notes of this album, very curious to what the words translate into English, adds a mysterious element to the album.

I like this guy. It’s pretty chilled, and sounds like he pioneered (of sorts) the distinct technique and style which is influenced other Malian bands. The kinda repetitive nature of some rhythms and sounds really drew me in. It’s maybe a little long, but it’s better than the one he did with Ry Cooder which we’ve already had in here, it seemed a bit livelier and varied. Defo something I’d put on again.

This was a hypnotic beast of a album. It kind of all rolls into one, didn't even notice it finishing. He's clearly a influential dude and I will definitely go down this rabbit hole again.

Day261 - i came here hoping to discover albums like this. world music is not something i would normally listen to but this is good stuff

This is a really good record. A bit too silent for me but with a beautiful instrumentation which makes up for the relaxed atmosphere.

Love the mix of blues and Africa influences

Not typically my kind of music, but an excellent record.

I think I liked this a bit more than the previous album by this artist on this list. Sounded great, and not knowing much about the music except that it was probably not intendes for this purpose, it made an excellent companion for errands and commuting.

I wish this wasn't quite as long, but I did have a good time

This was fun, I wish I was able to pay a little more attention to it but was slammed RIP

Yep, already like this, got it at the time. Provided a foundation for enjoying other stuff like Tinariwen and Mdou Moctar down the line. Proper chilled, yet complex blues. Nothing particularly stands out (maybe Machengoidi?) but it's all good. I left on recommendations based on this all afternoon.

A lot of fun. African music continues to be a highlight whenever it comes up. Rating: 4.2

Absolutely smooth, guitar is just another vocals and it blends beautifully with the music. Distinctly African and also distinctly Blues.

This was a fascinating album. Really fun listen, though not really something I’ll return to.

I really enjoyed this one, kind of a folk/blues feel. Obviously I have no idea what the lyrics are, but it’s interesting sonically and I enjoy finding sounds that I would not otherwise have heard.

what a refreshing listen! I hope this list will have more global music like this, it really opens the mind. A very pleasant listen. At the start I was a bit unsure of what I thought of it, but it built very well as the album progressed. Have never heard music from Mali before, but will definitely go on the search for more West African music now! A solid 4 stars from me. Will return. Favourite songs: Savane Soya Machengoidi Soko Yhinka Banga

This is all foreign to me, but I enjoyed it so much. The music is beautiful to listen to, and the guitar player is very skilled.

Love it. Solid blues. Very easy to listen to.

Couldn’t understand a word of it, but loved every minute of it

I had one of Ali's albums he did with Ry Cooder before. He is called the pioneer of "desert blues", which is African blues. Dude is from Mali. This album is great! Ali's guitar work on this album is insane! Favourite songs: Soya, N'Jarou, Soko Yhinka, Penda Yoro, Yer Bounda Fara, Machengoidi Least favourite songs: Erdi 4/5

I enjoyed this. Very meditative and rhythmic.

Good in the background but I wasn't as a gripped by it as I was hoping. Enjoyed the listen, but something was lacking for me for it to really catch my attention.

"Savane" is the final solo album by Malian musician Ali Farka Touré. The album was recorded as Touré was dealing with terminal bone cancer and was released posthumously, four months after his death. African blues is the genre category. Touré played guitar and percussion and was on vocals. The album also features a large number of African blues which included instruments such as the bamboo flute, ngoni (lute), traditional percussion, one-string violin (njarka), sax and harmonica. The album was certified gold in Europe selling at least 100,000 copies. The album opens with "Erdi." A large number of instruments are playing including the guitar, harmonica and ngoni (I think). The pace of the song is slow and defintely in a bluesy fashion. " Savane" has a melodic guitar which is very Spanish sounding. A stark guitar solo. The song builds throughout. Some songs have more vocals than others and one that has a large group singing in the chorus is "Soko Yhinka." Guitar and percussion are featured. The album closer "N'Jarou" gets a groove going with the acoustic guitar, ngoni and consistent percussion. There's humming and multiple backing vocals. Touré sounds happy. It seems like I've liked most of the albums that I've come across in this challenge where I have little to to no experience; this album is no exception. It has a bluesy feel and pace, almost stark at times. I was doing something very repetitive while I was listening to this and the pounding percussion and multiple stringed instruments made it very hypnotic. It's mostly a pleasure hearing new instruments and this album provides the ngoni and njarka. This is an album worth checking out and, for me, I'll seek more of the African blues.

Enjoyed the instrumentals on this. Soulful feeling lyrics and vocals.

Wonderful, relaxing music. Intricate and interesting but not demanding. Would be best enjoyed on a warm summer night with sounds of nature buzzing around you and a cold adult beverage close at hand; ideally shared with a group of old friends with no place else they need to be.

first listen a whole vibe

Extremely cool.

Sounds Cajun

Really Enjoyed! Love this African schlaze music, also had a healthy dose of blues riffs in here too! loved it.

Very nice repetitive compositions.

This sounds like American blues & African creole mixed together, which definitely perked my ears. I don't know exactly what he's singing about, but I could somehow relate. I'd bet if you played this album on a hot summer night while drinking hooch with your friends, it would be a certain kinda vibe. This album deserves to be in this challenge. 3.5 stars.

This is pretty good

Excellent voice excellent guitar

A great combination of Subsaharan, Blues and Folk. Something unique and some songs have a hypnotising beauty.

This was a nice discovery for me. I had read about him before. But, had never listened to his music.

While this was my first experience with Ali Farka Touré, I've had some exposure to his music, through a cover album called "Ali", by his son Vieux Farka Touré. I've quite enjoyed that collection, and am happy for the chance to hear the man himself. This was a lovely record. Although I don't speak the language, the music here is universal, and it sounds great. A true vibe. I have minimal experience with African music, but I saw the artist Bombino a few years back, and this recalls that concert. The guitar playing, though foreign, is smooth, intricate and intriguing, and I can't help but tap my foot to it. A chill delight, that I hope to revisit soon.

Chill, 4/5

Definitely out of my wheelhouse but really enjoyed listening to it

An incredibly organic blues journey that feels so raw and intricate

great stuff! 4 stars.

Fun album, enjoyed the sounds

Blues and World music collide in a passionate stew

I've always really liked African Blues. Which is sort of an odd genre when you think about it. I can definitely see why Ali Farka Toure gets compared to John Lee Hooker, particularly the voice but he's not quite as gravelly. Excellent guitar playing on this record and his tone in particular fits perfectly for his style. Listening to this record makes me think that he was probably just a cool dude to hang out with, no idea if there is any truth to that. Overall this is a super relaxing album and it's great that it was included here. 4/5

Cool. Buzzy.

It was nice to have something a little different to listen to today! Refreshing.

A really pleasant listen. Enjoyed the blend of African, Blues, and Arabic styling and was a lovely way to start my day with a cup of coffee. 4/5

yes, the African Robert Johnson- that is accurate. Def an album and artist I had absolutely no knowledge of. Unique blend of traditional blues against an afrobeat.

4/5

Different, but in a good way!

Based. But Mdou Moctar and Tinariwen better be on the list too

Much like Baaba Maal, only a little more bluesy. Not bad.

Really enjoyed this as relaxing background music. Never heard any Toure before so super interesting. The blues leaning made it more approachable for me than other Mali music I've heard before.

This is exactly why I keep coming back to the 1001 albums generator. Incredible sounds from this album, loved it.

This was such an interesting album. A real treat to listen to. It’s engaging, unique, and a very enjoyable mix of cultures. I would recommend this to anyone that has interest in the Blues for something familiar yet totally new.

Really enjoyed it.

I'm so glad to see some Malian music represented in this challenge. It's such an interesting country in terms of its music and has produced some really great artists, including Toure and Toumani Diabaté (listen to him too if you enjoyed this album). Toure himself was an interesting person. He grew up in a culture where musicians were the lowest caste but he wanted to play it anyway. He combined traditional Malian music with a heavy influence from African American blues artists. He was briefly mayor of a small town where he gave his money away to help build the infrastructure. And in his final years before succumbing to cancer, he created a recording studio in the hotel he was staying in because he couldn't travel far enough to reach any others. His album represents his final recordings, yet it's still full of life and a blend of musical traditions. For me, this is music for when you want to feel miles away from home.

really enjoyed this album. great mixture of african folk music and blues. Vocally it was haunting and you could hear the pain in his voice

Very good stuff here. Enjoyed this.

Big blues fan but had never checked out desert blues. Interesting combination of southern blues and west African music. Really enjoyed the album, will definitely be listening to more of this artist.

Was not familiar with this guy but I really liked it.

Really enjoyed this - strong guitarmanship, the hour flew by.

Sehr anders aber gut.

Wish I understood the lyrics

Ok turns out I actually DID listen to this album DAVID. It's soulful, not too bad overall.

Easy to appreciate his distinctove style, and get lost in the mesmerizing repetition of these songs.

Hypnotic.

Very nice change of pace

Moody and thoughtful, this was a great listen.

Acoustic African blues. I love the repeated riffs. It is masterfully chilled and beautiful. Will explore more. Also didn't feel like an hour of music.. 4.4

quite nice and relaxing!

I know Vieux Farka Toure and Khruangbin album "Ali" and really like it, but have not listened to its namesake yet. I'm excited for this today. I can see the influence Ali had on his son and Khruangbin, the tunes are bluesy hypnotic jams, with intricate guitar, African and blues rhythms and a variety of typical rock and African instruments. The genre blending makes for a unique and interesting sound but the overall vibe is very relaxed. This is a perfect Sunday morning album.

If they had audio dictionaries (which they should), then the entry for "gorgeous" would be the guitar on the title track. Thank you Mr. Toure, you made my evening. 🐫🐫🐫🐫

A very interesting album by a man with a very interesting back story.

Very chill, although samey. Not that it hurt it, though.

Started out thinking it was only OK, but it really grew on me towards the end. Worth a re-listen to pick up on the background details.

Very cool vibes, definitely not a type of music I've heard much of before!

Soulful. Even though I don’t understand the lyrics, it Reminds me of times past. When life and the world were so much simpler.

This is the kinda stuff that I wish there more of. I've heard the name but never listened to this. Some great dessert blues. A great find.

I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to sit through all of this since it was definitely out of my normal musical comfort zone but I’m glad I did if for nothing else but the experience. Very enjoyable listen.

Brani Preferiti: - "Erdi" - "Yer Bounda Fara" Note: Un album particolare, più che altro perché trovo difficile capirlo. Le canzoni di questo disco sono più da ascoltare nel chill che trovare un motivo per il quale siano state scritte. Nel leggere la storia di questo album, questo si tratta della sua ultima pubblicazione, una conclusione toccante e che può essere apprezzata da chiunque apprezzi la diversità della musica mondiale.

Very calming blues album

My only standard of comparison for this album is songhoy blues and it pretty much holds up under that standard, which is saying something. It's a lot slower and stripped down than what I've heard from songhoy blues which is neither good or bad, just a different style. I didn't enjoy this quite as much as music in exile but it was still pretty good overall. Desert blues continues to be a good genre for me that I only know about because of this list. I especially liked yer bounda fara.

I may not know a lot about African music, but I've definitely heard the name Ali Farka Touré. He was influential enough to pioneer a regional genre that grew to worldwide acclaim, and made multiple greatest guitarist of all time lists. And listening to his last album, I can understand why. I hear a lot more of the clear American blues influence on "Savane" than I am used to from my admittedly limited exposure to desert blues, and can clearly see the genesis of the genre that Touré led. I may not understand the Songhay lyrics, but the blues is a universal language.

Enjoyable, even though I have only rudimentary Arabic and French.

4.0

Really cool. I've never heard anything like it

Didn't know this but it's pretty nice

Lovely

Love this. Have grown a great appreciation for African/western blends like this Nice surprise to have it in the list

It’s a pleasant enough album of West African music with a heavy dose of blues.

Happy Birthday to me. What an amazing record to celebrate the big day. Just a beautiful time spent today, listening to this and wanking myself silly in front of friends and family. Thank you.

This was great! Familiar but also very different, with a fantastic groove

pretty unique. not bad.

Really like this, amazing guitar sounds and rhythms.

The album started really strong and always remained at least enjoyable. But I found that it lost focus in the second half and just meandered away after that. With some more uptempo energy, this would have been a 5 for me. On the best tracks, the blend of blues music with traditional instrumentation and chanting is a real pleasure.

A great introduction to Tishoumaren and creating an itch to explore more of this style of music. I really got absorbed into this.

Really excellent, with a strong unifying musical theme that transcended the language barrier for me.

I didn't know African desert blues was a thing and only got to listen to this once but I think it's definitely worth another visit.

The second Malian desert blues record on the list. This is the final album by Ali Farka Toure's, released a few months following his death. Toure has an incredible life story. The only one of ten brothers to survive past infancy, he was too 'noble' a caste to be allowed to play musical instruments, but did anyway, becoming recognised as one of the greatest guitarists of all time. There is a lot going on throughout this record. It is a complex din of rythms and instrumentation which mostly sounds nothing like the blues, but somehow creates a similar emotional response. Although an unfamiliar genre and a sound that shouldn't be accessible, but is somehow instantly appealing. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Savane Date listened: 16/07/23

A suprisingly good blues album, easy to get in to even though he sings in his native language.

Beautiful

World music is why I am here thank you

A multilingual artist, who combines hundreds (if not thousands) of styles and genres, while making it entirely his own thing too. Truly magical, evoking time and place like not many others on the list. Another welcome nudge to visit francophone Africa!

What a fun listen! I've never heard of Ali but I really dig his sound. This came at a really convenient time for me because I'm trying to widen my blues catalogue and this is will be an interesting entry. The main thing that stood out to me is the incredible guitar work. There are times where it feels like an ethereal being with 9 fingers is playing. I also saw that Ali collaborated with Ry Cooder, who is the Nick Fury of Buena Vista Social Club, an album that I very much enjoy. Like this one. 4

Back to back non-English albums, and this one is great. Without looking this up, I'm almost certain it's Saharan Africa. I say that because it reminds me of Afrique Victime from Mdou Moctar, an album I really dug a couple years ago. This one's more acoustic, but the vibe is unmistakeable. Some fantastic stuff on here. The perfect foil to yesterday's Tanto Tempo, because that album didn't feel very unique at all. This one's giving us something we can't find anywhere else. Favorite tracks: Yer Bounda Fara, Soya, Ledi Coumbe, Soko Yhinka. Album art: Absolute king of chillin' on the cover, man hitting the full recline in his chair that looks unreasonably comfortable. I like the photo effect on the left side, and his shades matching the colors of the guitar is a cool effect. Text strip is great too, says "King of the desert blues singers," so that all but confirms my guess as to origin. 4/5

Pretty great trancy African blues. 3.9

Absolutely loved the guitar on the title track! So good! Other than that not many standouts personally, nice album to put in the background for sure. Glad that 1001 has albums that aren't in english in it! Saved tracks: Yer Bounda Fara, Savane

Never heard this before. Like it a lot. Reminds me of early delta blues.

This is so different to my previous experience to African (Mali?) music and it's wonderful. If I had to pick a favourite track it would be the last 2, they just leave you with such a good feeling. I look forward to exploring this further.

Postuum uitgebracht album van de Malinese muzikant Ali Farka Touré. De tracklist bestaat uit West African bluesnummers, veelal in traditionele talen. Het album is naar Fourkés zeggen het beste dat hij ooit gemaakt heeft; het klinkt ook zeker goed. leukste nummer: Savane Touré werd vaak vergeleken met John Lee Hooker. Hoewel Touré onder de indruk was van zijn muziek, was hij stellig dat hijzelf geen bluesmuzikant was: zijn muziek was "ouder."

I love the Tuareg desert blues when it's done well. Excellent guitar player and excellent songs. The quality of music that comes out of the Sahara region, particularly from Mali and Niger is top notch. Great record, paving the way for others.

cool

He had me from the second I saw him in that chair.

Enjoyed this. Been a fan of his music for a while, and this felt very much the same as what I was already familiar with.

I enjoyed this album. There was still that bluesy sound, but each song was crafted in a way that is unique.

I had absolutely no idea what was going on at any point but I dug it. This created such a relaxing vibe. It felt like it should be playing softly through speakers at the pool at a tropical resort.

Relaxing, interesting, unique, what’s not to like

I loved this!

My second foray into music from Mali, after listening to a good amount in college. Really enjoyed the desert blues! Most songs sound like they should be the intro to an HBO mini-series

Started out as a rad folk Blues album and then went on to be a rad North African Blues album. Loves it

Quite unlike nothing I’ve heard of really. I think that speaks to both how much exploring I need to do and how unique of an artist Ali Farka Touré is. This is a very patient album, content with making a moment and living in it. The soft, rhythmic guitar becomes a stabilizing force where there’s so much depth when you pay attention. Sometimes I think I might look at the when too much in regards to looking for change within in a song. With this album, I just had to Clarence the changes and the things that didn’t change as it all slowed it. It made for a pretty tiring experience at times, as I used so much of my energy to pick up every minute detail I could, but it was all worth the greater picture. Faves: Erdi, Beto, N’jarou, Soya

Great stuff. Roots of the blues.

2/7- Driving to school: So much more freedom and heart than western blues

I felt like this was really tranquil, nice to listen to when you're doing silly little tasks around the house

good afro-funk-folk-etc

Didn’t know what to think about this going in. I was ready to give it my standard “3” for world music that I don’t know enough about to fairly judge. But - maybe because it’s more recent or maybe because I just really dig the bluesy vibe - I’m breaking my rule and bumping this one up. I’ll come back to this one.

This is going in my 'albums for working' stack.

Surprised by this one

Я не был готов к африканскому блюзу. Это совершенно непривычная для меня музыка не только в плане текста, но и инструментала. По большей части он здесь почти что аритмичный, очень минималистичный, но в то же время очень эмоциональный и экспрессивный. Это был интересный опыт, но я не думаю, что когда-либо вернусь к этому альбому. (6.5 - 7)

Great stuff. Definitely would not have heard this without this list.

sooo good

African blues is a totally new genre to me, but very interesting. The blend of the different aspects works well. Not something I would put on regularly, but I appreciated it

All I could think of as I listened to this was the speed and skill of those dying fingers. A triumphant exit.

Well worth the listen.

J'ai reçu hier soir un message de mon ennemi juré eltrapeze me confiant son inquiétude au sujet de l'état de santé de Robert. Celui que vous connaissez probablement sous son nom complet Robert Dimery, bien qu'il eût été en Erasmus au moment de publier son grimoire des 1001, est aujourd'hui un vieux monsieur sénil. D'après les nouvelles qu'eltrapeze me donna, Robert se serait persuadé d'être africain depuis plusieurs jours. Je me rendis donc à son domicile pour évaluer la situation par moi-même. À mon arrivée, Robert m'ouvrit grand la porte avec un accoutrement pour le moins minimaliste, celui-ci étant constitué d'un simple étui-pénien. « Ti vé di thiéboudiène ? » me lança-t-il avec un accent très caricatural qu'on aurait dit tout droit sorti de Tintin au Congo. « Non merci... » répondis-je avant que celui-ci ne tchipe de la manière la plus forcée qui soit. Je décidai de lui casser une énième fois la figure.

This album is good in a weird way. The guitar sounds strange, but enjoyable. It's kinda hard to put how this album sounds into words. But either way, I enjoyed it. Probably won't go looking for more music like this, but I enjoyed this. Favorite song: Beto Worst song: Gambari Didi

Nisam znala za desert blues al mi je drago da sad znam

This was a pleasant surprise. I really was not sure what to expect from this album and I went in totally blind. It wasn't until it started playing that I started to look up the artist and found out the style and such. I really liked the guitar, and how the blues and the other music blended together. Definitely a style all to its own, and definitely something I will be looking in to some more.

Malia music meets delta blues

Never heard of him, and liked many of the songs

A brilliantly constructed album from an artist taken far too soon. Savane reminds its listeners that the roots of most popular music really do originate in Africa.

Very interesting- sounds like French North African blues. Easy to listen to, and to chill to. Nice rhythms. Shame this was his last album.

First time I've heard this. Really like it. Great desert blues

I could listen to this all day!

I have a nostalgic attachment to Toure’s Niafunke album, but these songs are just as good. Music that makes you feel cool listening to it. Fun songs to play along to with guitar. Good variety of instruments: amplified harmonica, saxophone, etc. I like the French lyrics of Savane, wish there were more translations online for the tracks in Peul.

This would be good music for a movie. I liked it.

A beautiful mix of different genres I like

i apologize for being a broken record but i am thrilled an album like this made this list! there are a ton of western albums on the list but other areas of the world are included, too. i hadn’t heard of this artist before, but i do know an artist’s final album released around the time of their death can be heavy and full of significance. i don’t think this album is an exception. i wish i understood the lyrics without a translation service, but i appreciate music with lyrics in another language. it leaves more to the imagination. savane is a beautiful album. while i wouldn’t typically call myself a fan of blues music, i enjoyed hearing the combination of blues with african music. the result is an intriguing listen. it’s very pleasant to the ears, and is a nice tribute to touré.

What’s striking about this album is the fact that it is clearly a blues album and clearly a Malian album fusing to form desert blues. The instrumentation was really interesting and everything just fit together really well. This album feels familiar and unfamiliar at the same time in a way that is wonderfully tantalizing. The groove is great, and the guitar playing is novel.

Heel leuke Afrikaanse blues! Unieke sound met een leuke mix van verschillende genres

Without this listening project, I don't think that I would have ever given this one a listen. I found it very interesting, but I think it will require a few more listens before I embrace it as a regular listen.

I thought I had an idea of what to expect from "The King of the desert 'blues' singers," but I really didn't. My first listen, the music was mostly background for work and was, at best, unobtrusive or, worse, boring. It didn't seem to have the hooks I expect from blues. But on a second, more focused listen, I started to appreciate it more. It's not an easy listen for my ears --- unexpected timing and rhythm, lyrics in a language I don't understand --- but it is interesting and different and I do like it.

I’m pretty new to the blues, and have never heard this particular style. I had no idea that music could feel so genuinely bluesy and African at the same time. Some of the songs felt very similar to the blues of the American south while others sounded more Arab-influenced. The album sort of flowed over me and partway through my first listen I really started to connect with it. There’s something very inviting and soothing here. I’m not sure how often I will revisit this but I’m very glad to experience this album.

One's not actually qualified to assess the subtleties of this one or whether Mali was some secret fount of the blues. But one likes it a lot nonetheless, as one has almost everything one's heard from AFT (especialy In the Heart of the Moon).Plenty of haunting melodies and straight-up blues riffs. At once listenable and substantive, rootsy in the best sense (that is, having great depth). And certainly one wishes one knew what was being sung. One expects it would be soulful and wise.

Really liked this one.

Instrumental de cordas africano com muito poder.

Hypnotic

It was nice when I wanted to relax after work. The melody felt like I was in another world which I appreciate since I don’t get to travel as much as I like to.

Very unique blend of sounds, and a fun listen overall.

I know of Ali Farka Touré, but I can't say how much, if any, of his music that I've heard. I enjoyed these African Blues songs. The guitar work on "Gambari Didi" had my attention. I didn't mark many of the tracks for a relisten, but there wasn't anything on the album that I disliked. I'll round up to 4 stars.

Il y a des chansons vraiment magiques sur cet album. Cependant, ca ressemble beaucoup à son matériel. Pas que c'Est pas bon, mais Talkin Timbuktu est mon preféré et je dois être conséqent dans mes notes. Un belle écoute. 4.15

I actually hadn't heard of Ali Farka Toure before this album came up and was fascinated what "African desert blues" sounded like. It's a pretty accurate description of the music and my first impression is that I love the guitar sound and the grooves. The songs are interesting and I will revisit this and some of his other recordings in the near future. Another cool find!

Really fantastic guitar work.

Liked this more than I expected. bluesy and country-ish but without the awful truckdriver lyrics.

Hårt ……. ……

Really like this. Very well executed sound that envelops you. StronG 4

Swagane

Rich, warm, laid back sound. Loved it. Fave Songs: Soya, Savane, Soko Yhinka, N'Jarou, Banga, Hanana, Gambari Didi

I really liked this album. It has a droning quality to the music that took me off guard...reminded me of Miles Davis' In A Silent Way. Some really interesting sounds that are hard to place what instruments are making them. But musically it works. It has, to these ears anyway, Indian elements and middle eastern as well as African. I like the languid pace and the way the guitar circles in and out of the African rhythms offering colour to the beautiful tunes. 4.25 🌟

This is not something I'd generally play, but it's a great piece of work

I've become attracted of late to any form of tribal music. I love the romanticism and mystique that surrounds it. It's like a non-Western partisan and radical approach to music. Rocking the Casbah, etc. Ali Farka Touré has some great chants and even better blues. I've no idea what it all means, but I'm ready to enter the frontline.

Warm and rich and lovely. A great discovery

Refreshingly different.

Great music to have on in the background. Mellow. Enjoyed it. Read up on the production of the album, Touré had cancer and knew it'd be his last album. Puts perspective on the enjoyment and spirit of musicianship, over commercial incentive.

Awesome

pretty good, not a big fan of the genre but I think it’s executed pretty well, the songs are nice and diverse and pretty groovy 7/10

Beautiful blues album

the looser songs are lovely

Pretty good. Very bluesy with a heavy African vibe.

Never should language be a barrier to enjoying music. This album is fun and will make ya wanna dance

Such a cool and interesting listen!

Auch bei diesem Machwerk hatte ich vorher schlimmste Befürchtungen. Die sich nicht im geringsten bewahrheitet haben. Das Genre African Blues war mir gänzlich unbekannt. Diese Platte ist sehr geil. Der Vergleich mit John Lee Hooker drängt sich bei Touré sehr leicht auf, aber es gibt schlimmeres, als nach Hooker zu klingen.

No way! I read Matthew Mcconaughey biography recently and he mentioned this guy as his favourite artist. I listened and got hooked, can't believe he's on top 1001 albums! Buzzin, real cool, proper unique and different to anything I've ever listened to, like African meets American Western, Bluesy. Sick music for late night with a whiskey 🙏 4/5

What a delight this was, excelent.

3.5/5. Different and good. I like the instrumentals throughout the album.

Cool album, lots of interesting guitar Parts and lots of cool sounds

There's a characteristic riff/line/warmup/intro in desert blues. It's not exactly a scale, so my mind makes a weak connection to ragas. This record has it in several places. Sometimes, a tune emerges from that stem, but more often the rest of the track crashes down in a percussive, deconstructed cascade. Those songs are the weirdest blues songs I've ever heard. Their coherence in incoherence is an order of magnitude stranger than any set of effects or recording techniques. Nothing here is particularly abstract, though: There is always the sense and sound of the instrument in the recording, which makes the crashing seem like that of blocks of wood. All that is just what caught my ear on the first listen. The songs that are different are also physical, but are far less formally strange. Energy crackles, but seemingly from behind a facade.

Really enjoyed this, especially the first couple of songs and the title song. Will definitely listen to again (in fact, I listened to it again immediately), but I foresee I won't always be in the mood for it.

Very good alternative to the US / England concept of the blues. I also hear some jazz and middle eastern music in here. Similar to the Jimmy Page / Robert Plant Led Zeppelin Unplugged album.

Loved this

Great Album, i never heard African Blues, it's very cool

Foreign yet familiar. Chill but lively. Music imitating life, or is it the other way around?

Really liked this. Amazing guitar player

Though the language gap was limiting, the music was really cool. I could see myself listening to this again.

Very cool desert blues, moody

African folk blues.. Easy listen

Very nice blues album. Good quality songs.

enjoyed this one

Super unique feel to his music. It seems to be all tuned the same way with open strings. Love his voice although I couldn’t tell you what he’s saying. Makes me think of cold night in the desert

Strong. I need to explore his music a lot more.

Familiarity: 0/10 Notes: I have no idea what he was singing about, but man I loved in. African Folk, instruments playing different rhythms, soothe sounds, Ali Farka Touré transcends his language, I thoroughly enjoyed the album throughout. Real Rating 7/10

I like it. Random blues world music vibe

Good musically

i mean i wouldnt play it on my own but its pretty nice musically

If this album had English lyrics, it would be an easy 5-star. Maybe a strange reason to penalize it, but I really wanted to understand what was being sung.

Prefer the grooviest parts. Very good.

4

Kinda interesting.

Got a great rhythm that I enjoyed more than I was expecting. That being said, I didn't understand a word, which detracted immensely.

It was good music just kinda repetitive after a little while

I kind of liked this. It was interesting and different.

I liked this better than Talking Timbuktu, but it had similar problems of just kinda being slow with nothing happening for long stretches of time. It’s weird cuz you can tell there are some really cool things happening with instruments but it’s only glimpses that don’t really go anywhere.

Pleasant and cool but extremely long and eventually I got the gist. Felt sparse in places and not in an intentional way.

Ok. Not my music style but not bad either.

Great musicianship, good for camping vibes.

Fascinating listen. Very interesting to hear how traditional African music and blues are blended together. I only wish my ear was more accustomed to the non-Western sounds more, as that would have greatly enhanced the overall listening experience. Still worth listening to if for no other reason than broadening musical horizons. Top tracks: Savane, Penda Yoro, Gambari Didi

i like when i get albums from different cultures on here

African music is a one of my bigger blind spots so I’m glad to listen to more of it. I’ve listened to some Malian music in the past and loved pretty much all of it, such wonderful scales and hypnotic rhythms. This fuses all of that with more familiar blues; really soulful, beautiful stuff.

Gorgeous but not compelling. Didn’t understand a word of it but that’s a me problem and I’m never against listening to something that is on many levels out of my comfort zone

Très sympa et original en fond

Super unique in the context of this list therefore totally deserving of its spot. The rolling, repetitive, layered guitar playing will stick with me. As well as the fusion of west African music with a little blues and creole flare. “Soko Yhinka” is the best example of the listening experience imo, it’s got a sticky little call and response vocal section. This guy has two albums on the list but they’re both fairly different in nature and sound. And maybe I brought it up last time but there’s a whole rabbit hole to go down in terms of the amount of non-English albums on this list that aren’t purely foreign (English speaking collaborators or fusing a foreign genre with a traditionally American/uk genre). Is it ultimately a good thing for listener exposure, is it disrespectful or tokenistic to favor english-crossover projects? I respect this one a good bit, firm 3/5

I was familiar with Talking Timbuktu as it had come up earlier in this exercise. This was a pretty good listen. The music is a pretty stripped down folk/blues. The deep vocals are quite atmospheric and enjoyable even if I don't understand the lyrics. I wouldn't mind hearing this again although I may not seek it out either.

Interesting and exotic.

A fascinating blend of blues and world music. Cool find.

This is the second or third desert blues album I've hit, and I've enjoyed them, but am not blown away.

One of the things this project is good for: exposing me to unique and interesting stuff that is good to hear exactly one time (along with plenty of things I would have preferred to hear 0 times, but this is a good one-timer).

Pretty nice!

An enjoyable, horizon-expanding listen. Thank you.

1. Erdi (★★★☆☆) 2. Yer Bounda Fara (★★★⯨☆) 3. Beto (★★⯨☆☆) 4. Savane (★★★⯨☆) 5. Soya (★★★☆☆) 6. Penda Yoro (★★★☆☆) 7. Machengoidi - Rerecorded (★★★☆☆) 8. Ledi Coumbe (★★★☆☆) 9. Hanana (★★★☆☆) 10. Soko Yhinka (★★★☆☆) 11. Gambari Didi (★★★☆☆) 12. Banga (★★★☆☆) 13. N'jarou (★★★☆☆) 3+3,5+2,5+3,5+3+3+3+3+3+3+3+3+3 = 39,5 39,5 / 13 = 3,0385

Interesting listen. I like the vibe and unique sound. A little too long and drawn out for some songs but a decent experience overall

Pretty awesome but not my fave desert blues

Woah. What. Ok. Lots of stuff happening. Wallahi bro. Interesting. I like how personal it feels. It feels like I'm in the room with him while he's singing and performing these I really like it. Very intimate vibe. I really like how twangy it is really great music. Very nice. Favourite: Soya Least favourite: Yer Bounda Fara

Some decent parts, and an interesting listen, but felt it got a bit samey and perhaps a bit long. Okay though.

I’m generally not a fan of an album by a really old artist that used to be good that he puts out hours before he dies but that appears to be Robert Dimery’s favorite genre of music. Dude should go to music time at an old folks home when they wheel the semi-animated corpses into the activity room and let them blow kazoos and weakly hit tambourines with their bony desiccated claws and just absolutely jam out. It would be like his Woodstock. But even though this is one of those formerly-good-but-now-super-old-artist-releases-album-right-before-they-die albums, I thought it was okay.

Sonidos lindos, se escucha muy bien lo remasterizado. No es mi estilo ni lo volvería a escuchar pero fue una linda experiencia

This has definitely made me realize how many genres of music I'm not knowledgeable enough about to know if it's good, just if it I like it or not.

It’s good. Not sure why this album is necessary.

Bit too long but decent to an extent

If the entire album was as captivating as the title track, this record would earn top status. “Savane” boils Toure down to his essence of an acoustic guitar and vocals. The guitar provides layers by itself that pulled me in with its hypnotic figures. I could hear the magical qualities of Toure’s playing in “Savane” and the two closing tracks, “Banga” and “N’jarou.” However, other tunes either had never landed, particularly those using a great deal of other singers. To go back to an earlier comment from my Led Zeppelin review, Toure may suffer from groups that came after his rise. The desert rock “craze” for North African bands has dimmed Toure’s originality. I knew of him earlier, and enjoyed his collaboration with Ry Cooder. After a decade of Tinariwen, Mdou Moctar and others, Toure’s blues meets the desert style no longer seems quite as compelling. This album features his acoustic playing which differs from the roaring distortion of later bands. It makes for a more contemplative set of songs, but with less rock oriented appeal. Obviously, language limits my ability to fully assess Toure, but I do not find him too interesting as a singer. Neither as sweet sounding as Central African rhumba-style artists, nor the declarative power of his fellow drone groove guitarist, John Lee Hooker. I am glad that this record may represent a more authentic version of Toure and Malian music, but aside from a few great highlights, it falls under, good, but not great, status.

I feel this is a fault on me more than the album as this is a genre I am near-completely in the dark on. I enjoyed it, but there's no urge to ever listen to it again. Perhaps, I will find a new interest and appreciation for it as we travel further in this album experience.

Como indica el título, el rey del blues del desierto. En el listado ya está el que hizo con Ry Cooder, para mí mejor. Este no aporta más, pero es igual de bueno

Would I listen again: probs not It’s not bad. Bit repetitive for me

Wow wow, very cool, but a little bit samey after a while

I appreciate that 1.001 albums is branching out from their usual "white UK guys playing guitar in the 90s" approach, but of course they had to choose Ali Farka Touré's most mainstream album. It's not a bad album by any means, but it feels like it is overly catering to Western ears, and imho it pales in comparison to the raw and sublime spirituality of The River.

Really nice album, love the style of guitar playing throughout. Super talented and happy to be introduced to Ali Farka Toure, I head his son is talented too. Favourites: Savane Soya

Too bad this album ended up being really ssmey, it started off really good.

While I can appreciate this as a window into the rich and unique blues traditions of West Africa, this style of music doesn’t do much for me. There’s a lot of noodling, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I’m more accustomed to Western musical structures with clear melodies and development. Musical styles outside that framework can be a challenge for me. My rating isn’t a reflection of the music’s quality, but rather of my own inability to fully grasp it.

70

Appreciate it but likely won’t go back to it unless a hyper specific situation calls for it.

I appreciate this quite a bit. Musically it’s great. Just giving it a 3 cause I don’t see myself bumpin this on the regular.

I can see that this is an important album, it's not really for me though. 2.8

This is very new!!

Some interesting sounds here and a lovely and worthy listen.

Enjoyably different

всё ещё не помню когда я подписалась на музыку Африки но познавательно конечно. но не развлекательно)

Better than I thought, good background music. However nothing more than that. high 2.5

Very enjoyable but to me doesn’t resonate on a deeper level than that.

Ok but not for me.

Decent album. Had some elements I really liked, but it ultimately proved to be reasonably repetitive within many of the songs. That said, it wasn't terribly repetitive to me ear across songs. Ok listen, not amazing, not awful.

C’était sympa mais c’est pas mon style Il y a des notes de blues j’ai l’impression Ça s’écoute dans un certain contexte je pense

I always find albums like this really interesting, not necessarily because I really like listening to them, but just because it's refreshing to occasionally be exposed to something a bit different. This isn't the kind of thing I would ever choose to listen to, nor is it the kind of thing I would even know where to find without this generator, but exposing myself to the odd album like this is generally a positive experience each time, and leaves me feeling more cultured for having heard something so different. And this album is no exception, being a style of music I listen to so infrequent I find it hard to differentiate between various genres of African music, but the styles and ideas on this album did still manage to feel pretty fresh, although it does get quite repetitive after a while. Still a cool experience on the whole that I'm glad I've listened to, but not something I'm excited enough about that I see myself coming back to this any time soon.

A interesting mix of rock, jazz, and tribal beats. Pleasant to have in the background.

Decent background guitar picking, but it all sounded like same song

Slick and pleasant to listen to. Warm and clearly made with love. A lot of cool sounds and guitar work as always with his albums. I’m still not versed in this style of music but appreciated the fusion of Malian music and the blues. Rest in peace to Touré; this is as worthy a posthumous album as can be. Strong three.

I would have _never_ listened to this normally, but I quite liked it. Not sure I would come back to it much, but it was a perfectly nice background listen, and a few toe-tappers in there.

This album is really good. I'm not sure if this is African blues with a heavy American blues influence or if it's a straight blues album with heavy African melodies. That's for someone with more knowledge on the subjects to debate. Either way all those elements are there and the results are pleasing

After another Ali Farka Toure album just a week ago, I'm all Farka-ed out. I think it would be fair to substitute "Ass Pocket of Whiskey" by R.L. Burnside or something from Mdou Moctar instead.

Malian blues at its best

I don't have anything too insightful to say about this, but I enjoyed it! Not sure how much I'll come back to it though.

Nice to listen to but gets kinda same-y. Made me sleepy but I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing.

I’m kinda vibing to this actually. A totally new sound for me and I’m glad to have experienced it.

Grateful to this list for another album that I probably wouldn’t have otherwise heard. A nice representation of what it is and clearly does it well and offers something new and refreshing but maybe doesn’t grab me on the same way others might (3.5)

Unique bare-bones world album that’s heavily informed by the delta blues style. Not sure of the exact language but it complements the music well and definitely makes it stand out. 3.0/5.0

Liked the tone of this album. It felt a bit mysterious - and there was some tension, which I appreciated. After listening to the album two times, I still have trouble distinguishing the songs from each other, which is the album's main issue to me. Overall I found it relaxing and nice to have sitting in the background while working. Since I don't speak Ali's language, that's not a distraction. Weak 3.

Це загалом той тип музики, який мені цікавий. Але саме цей альбом просто норм. Послухав і забув.