Savane

Een paar nummers beluisterd. Bijzonder. Afrikaans. Maar ook blues en jazz. Niet vervelend

Misschien niet echt een album om aan te zetten terwijl je onderweg bent naar werk. Op die manier wordt het al snel een soort brij van noten en melodieën en glijdt het een beetje langs je heen. Ik merk dat dit zo’n album is dat meer tijd nodig heeft om te landen. Het is repetitief en traag, en als je er niet echt voor gaat zitten mis je wat het probeert te doen. Wat voor mij beter werkte, was om live beelden te kijken. Dan valt alles meer op zijn plek. De vibe wordt duidelijker en je ziet ook hoe Ali Farka Touré speelt. Zijn gitaar voelt echt als een verlengstuk van hem, heel natuurlijk en bijna nonchalant, maar ondertussen zitten er sterke riffs in die blijven hangen. Voor nu pakt het me nog niet volledig als album, maar ik heb wel het gevoel dat dit zo’n plaat is die kan groeien als je er de tijd voor neemt. Voor nu 3 sterren

Great change of pace and energy but fades into the background for me. RYM: N Saved a song: N

I find it difficult to assess if albums like this are good or not. From my own westernised tastes I can say it was an enjoyable album to listen to but as I’m not from or immersed in the culture from which it comes, I’ve no idea if it’s a good or bad album. Yes an enjoyable album to listen to once but the concept of the album is so alien to my own tastes I will not listen again unless it or albums of the same ilk randomly come along again. 3/5 18/3/26

Favorite songs: Yer Bounda Fara, Beto, Savane

Wonderful shows the strong connection between African music and the Blues

This was a fairly calming album. I used it as background noise as I cooked and cleaned.

The first time I heard this type of music, I was fascinated and entranced (it was Boubacar Traore). I haven't found lasting appeal, though. It was a nice listen, but I can't quite grant four stars.

This is a groove. Blues shapes and vocals throughout (though I've no idea what is being said) make the sound recognisable but different enough to keep you interested. This is an album about feel. Best Tracks: Savane; Soya; Penda Yoro

Desert Blues.

Rhythmic

I understand that this is an “important” album, but the droning aspect of the music is just really herd for me to get into.

It's ok. 3.

A rather relaxing and chill Afrobeat, World album, it is something I enjoy listening to in the background.

good guitar, i enjoyed this

This one didn't connect with me, mostly because I couldn't understand the languages (I believe I heard French in the title track). His vocals are decent but subdued behind music that often sounds like the blues with African instruments. It was good as background sounds on a commute.

Listening to this album makes me feel like I'm watching a documentary about the pioneers from an alternate universe where African pilgrims colonized America. Highlights: Yer Bounda Fara, Savane, Soya, Penda Yoro, Soko Yhinka

Pretty fun but nothing all that memorable

Interesting - I did like the African mixed with blues vibe

I enjoyed this debut solo album from Touré! This is not music I generally listen to but I dug the African/desert blues vibes of this album and it was pleasant to listen to. Overall, I would listen to this again and recommend it to others!

I can appreciate this music, but it’s just not something I’d personally put on.

Good.

Not for me. But an interesting album in the list, solely because it's African

Ali Farka Touré returns, this time with an atmospheric African blues album recorded shortly before he passed away. Not totally enthralling for me, but it's pleasant enough.

64/100. Nothing is rushed, nothing is forced. The album just takes its time, in a good way. It may not be the most dynamic record in the world, but when you are in the right mood, it connects in a way flashier albums just cannot. There is some really good blues on here.

Blues from Mali.

Savane

I got the blues. I got the blues. I got the I don't know what this guy is singing but I dig what he's playing blues. Blues translates in many languages apparently.

Music is cool, singing is a little whiny.

Nice discovery that I wouldn't have found on my own. Favorite song: Savane

Lovely guitar work, which sounds quite bluesy and countryish at times. And, of course, the vocals are incredibly sweet and rich. It's a tiny bit same-y and not super exciting, but it was a very nice way to spend an hour or so on the way to play football (spoiler, it didn't massively fire me up and we lost quite heavily).

This was fine. Didn't hate it but also thought it was not particularly interesting. Nothing really caught my attention.

Started off feeling like this was just pretty standard blues, but as it went on I felt like it was standing out a bit more. My favorite bits are when he and his backing singers do call and response, which tends to be pretty typical for me, honestly.

Very chill, but unfortunately it will never be as cool of an album as the cover suggests

I don't hate this album by any means, but I just didn't have any standout moments with this album.

I share much of the same objection to Savane as I did Talking Timbuktu. It's good and impressive, but it gets repetitive at time and I am not very getting much emotion from it, but I get why somebody would love this

African blues huh. I like the tunes. I wish i understood the words

No suena nada mal. Cuando empezaron a conocerse estos músicos de África fuera de sus países fue un poco una revelación. Creo que ya se ha pasado ese efecto, pero a mi este tipo de músico me resulta interesante. No me he guardado ninguna canción en concreto, aunque volveré a escucharlo.

Happy to be exposed to sounds outside of my comfort zone. Not an album I’ll return to, but worth a listen and worth a place on this list. Still not my thing and im finding it hard to rate. Going with a line ball 3/5 for being interesting.

Afrikkalaista bluesia. Ihan mielenkiintoinen kokemus, mutta kyllä jenkit sen vielä paremmin taitaa. Tässäkin se afrikkalaisuus tulee vahvasti läpi. Vähän ehkä vaisua ja kappaleet toistaa itseään liikaa. Parhaat: Erdi, N'jarou

This was nice, but I didn't love it. Three stars.

Normally I’m all about this kind of stuff but this one just didn’t hit for some reason. Maybe it was too bluesy? A lot of it sounded the same too

Couldn’t understand a word, but nice vibe

Think I enjoyed this more since it’s sunny for the first time this year while I listen. Bet it sucks in winter

Enjoyed as background music but probably wouldn’t listen to often

Fun album, not what I would typically listen to but not un-enjoyable. Felt like Spike Spiegel floating through space a bit. Good instrumentals and chill vibes. N’Jarou favorite track! 3*

Interesting blend of sounds and languages. Makes for great background noise

Chill vibes to listen to while puttering away during a PD day at work, but not memorable in my mind. 3/5 stars.

Earthy and hypnotic

This is more like it. Something different and cool, undefinable and eclectic. Bluesy Afro-jazz? Hang out and listen to this just as Toure does on the cover. Is that a sitar?

I don't think I could tell one song from the other. Good background stuff, calm, easy listening

Pretty cool and chill album Standout songs: Yer Bounda Fera Ledi Coumbe

It’s hard to fault an album so deeply engrossed in a rich culture. Especially when it’s a culture I know so little about. There is a familiarity in the music itself. It mimics American blues, but does so with unique instrumentation. It’s nice to listen to music in a foreign language, as it allows the listener to focus on aspects of the music itself that are often muted. This may grow with time, but for now I can say I actually liked it.

Not many songs here that I wouldn't enjoy more if they were purely instrumental instead. Decent overall still.

2000s world blues. Mali artist was dying while making this album. Excellent guitar playing.

A very laid back, bluesy album with solid rhythm

Lidt random album men jeg kan altid godt lide at lytte til Ali fra Mali. Jeg ville nok have valgt noget ældre

I like the weird guitar playing.

Mali guitarist. Enjoyable groove. Good for work listening.

West African Blues very own Cincinnatus.

It’s always cool to listen to music from different cultures and regions, and this West African album was no exception. The instrumentals were very pleasant, showcasing guitar, drums, and a consistent beat that was easy to follow. I’m probably not going to listen to this album again, but there are a few songs that I added to some instrumental playlists.

Nothing stood out, but I appreciated the sound.

7/10

Something different. Well worth the listen.

Similar to the other one we had by this artist. A little goes a long way, but still pretty decent.

Chill, but like most world music, difficult to rate. I have literally zero context. It sounds good, and I’m glad for the exposure to build some context, but it’s hard to say if I’d ever be in the mood to throw this on again.

Very well recorded. I’m glad I was introduced to this.

Savane is a really nice title track. in general a solid, enjoyable album but it doesn’t really do much for me atm. i feel like i may need to listen again, but it’s quite long.

not as good as the other album of his but still such a cool guy.

Second album by Toure that I've listened to and I do enjoy the delta blues vibe of the artist.

I ‘kind of’ like it

I don't really know about this type of music to make an assessment.

I like the vibe. The music is an interesting fusion of blues and African. Overall I like this artist and enjoy his music but this album felt like it kind of dragged a bit.

I had this album back in 2007 in an effort to expand my world music knowledge and appreciation. It doesn’t substantially upheave my life but I have always enjoyed its chill African blues vibe.

This was super chill and cool vibes. It’s not something I’d probably just throw on randomly, but I do love being exposed to world music, and hearing what sounds come out of specific countries.

Different but nice

I wasn’t sure what to expect, and after having listened to it I’m not sure how I feel about it. It was cool to experience music wildly different from what I’m used to, but I kept getting lost in the repetition which isn’t uncommon, yet I can usually fall back on lyrics to keep me interested. That wasn’t the case for this particular album.

Both the artist and album were new to me, but I quite liked this. I always enjoy the blues, but this introduced me to 'desert blues' - the meshing of African and American musical styles is interesting and works well. My standout tracks were Yer Bounda Fara which is the most bluesy offering here, and Savane is soothing soul balm.

Not blues, but not too bad for African music

Wouldn’t have ordinarily chosen to listen to this type of thing but I liked it

3.5 Stars

6.9/10

Eh

I can appreciate this but it’s not really something I’d come back to.

Pretty good, but a little repetitive and I couldn’t understand it. Nice sound though and sick album cover. High 3.

Interesting mix of west African sounds and fairly traditional blues. Sounds blend well.

Interesting story behind this album.

Weird, but interesting. Didn’t understand any words still better then everything but the girl.

Pretty good, nice to hear something outside of my usual choices. I'll listen to this again sometime.

Interesting for awhile, but then repetitive. I liked the putamayo african blues album more in the past.

Nice

I liked the overall vibe of this and I’m guessing the repetition is part of the style. It did get a bit samey though. Could have done with a shorter run time

I do not normally like posthumous albums, however I had no knowledge of the artist or their work beforehand. This will show my lack of information on African artisits but I can see similarities in the rhythms to bands like Mdou Moctar and Witch. Standout tracks: Savane (duh)

Not my kind of music.

Not my thing

This list got me into this artist.. it’s the second album of theirs on here. I really like it. Not quite as great as Talking Timbuktu, but still a beautifully recorded and enjoyable album

A difficult record for me to sit and focus on but quite enjoyable to have on and shift attention to here and there. I enjoy the bluesy/folksy guitar but the vocals are why I need to shift in and out.

Full of talent, with some excellent guitar work and great bluesy moments, but as a whole it doesn’t quite tickle my eardrums the way I prefer.

This is an interesting change for this list. I don't really know how to feel about it. It's definitely different, I like it, but I am confused as to what it is exactly. But a cool thing to listen to.

Some really cool sounds, I recognise patterns from irish and northern greek music. I can't say I particularly loved the album but certainly was an interesting listen. 3.2

It was really good. I loved savan

It was entertaining to listen to but I’m not really sure I like blues music.

this is a tough one to rate. on one hand every song is genuinely enjoyable; great singing and great playing. on the other hand, youve heard 90% of the song in the first 20 seconds. he establishes the motif immediately then that ostinato repeats for the remainder of the track, with what little development there is coming from additional instruments slowly layered in. from what ive been able to find it seems that is typical of african blues, potentially due to alis influence. i think if you removed the vocals and sold this to me as an ambient album i wouldve received it much better.

An interesting album more than a great one to me. It has some really good guitar playing but I feel like it never goes anywhere far enough. It just continues on with the same playing and rhythms throughout the song so it doesn't lead anywhere. It feels almost like a more modern song without a drop. Something is missing for the songs to make me want to listen again. That said I'm happy Its on this list and that I got to play through it since this is exactly what I was hoping for when I started this list.

Não é pra mim, respeito o som, acho legal, mas não é pra mim. Dentro do gênero merece 3 estrelas

Am I... better than everyone else? He really owns the title of one of the best guitarist in the world. Great vibes, don't know if my type of music but definitely an impressive album in its style.

Not my jam.

This was fine to have on in the background. I could not tell what language he was using, sometimes it sounded French, other times, maybe Arabic? It sounded like deep south blues mixed with African beats. Because I could not understand the lyrics, I am reviewing based on vibe/sound alone.

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: you give me a tight West African groove for an hour every now and then and I will be happy to zone out to it every time.

This was lovely background music and I enjoyed it more than a lot of the albums so far. What this is all about.

I enjoy well done, world music, a little monotone for a full album though

Vibey. Would make good background music.

Its pretty nice and all, good representation yadi yada, but doesnt really excite me. 3.2/5

For the most part, this was a great intersection of African music and Blues. It’s an album with no frills or gimmicks to try and make itself stand out. It took me a while to warm up to this on a first listen. A great background listen with a couple of standout tracks.

I enjoyed this a lot. What a talent.

Vibes after vibes - it’s a good combo of blues and cool world type beats. Sad to hear it’s his last album - has so much passion in it.

Not every album on the list has to be the greatest thing ever, but albums like this add so much life to the book. Sets a nice atmosphere, and the apparent local influences are pretty cool. This being his last album sets him off very well.

nice enough

Was not familiar with this artist, much less with African Blues, I really liked Savane and Hanana, the rest were good as well, but not something I'd listen to, every day.

Listened but it didn't really engage me, nor offend me. Some cool riffs here and there.

I've always enjoyed Ali Farka Toure since I discovered him on his albums with Ry Cooder, and it was great to hear an album I was not familiar with.

Nice sound

As a whole the album is foreign, but it has elements that sound familiar. The first track has harmonica that sounds straight out of southern blues. Other tracks have hints of reggae or other styles I know. For the most part it makes for good background / coffee shop music.

Wanted to like this more than I do given how much I enjoyed the collab with Ry Cooder. But despite multiple listens, very little of it stuck.

Pleasant album. Songs don’t really go anywhere but there’s some nice grooves.

Really nice

Not bad music to work to.

Maybe it wasn't my thing, but I can see the significance and hear the heart in it. 3/5

Not _quite_ my jam, but enjoyable.

Didn’t make it to the end yet but really enjoying so far.

Not a bad album if you are keen on African folk funk

Some interesting music on this album.

Without knowing this genre it's hard to compare this, but standalone it's inoffensive, nothing jumps out as ground breaking or innovative, so it's also difficult to call.out any stand out tracks

African sound, nice exposure, but a bit repetitive. Old man plays guitar, plays well.

It's a vibe, for sure. Don't think it's an album I NEEDED to hear before I died.

While it all sounded pleasant, nothing really caught my ear.

You know it is good and all, but for being just shy of an hour I need a little more substance. Like once you've heard the first 30 seconds to a song you've heard the whole thing. Some of the instrumentation on this album is also really sparse which doesn't help the repetitiveness feeling. I'll be honest I kinda zoned out about halfway through this album and it just became background noise. This album isn't bad, but it isn't very memorable. Mid 3.

3.5

3.5

Most of the first half of the album I really got into when it was truly a cross between blues and African music. It reminded me of what I really liked about the Songhoy Blues album. But as the album went on I found it sounding more like generic World music fare. Though it was still it was still pretty good, it didn't strike me as outstanding. I did like this album but I think I like the Songhoy Blues album a lot more. 7.33 ★★★½

This was pretty cool. Not sure how much I'd return to it, but I thought it was pretty enjoyable throughout. 3.5 stars.

Decentish desert blues. Very samey throughout and a bit Ali Farka Snoré on its own but a good coffee shop 1001 album to have on in the background. 3 cappuccinos out of 5.

I wanted to like this, but I found the song structures too simple - usually one repeated pattern. I wish there was more bass in this album too. Liked Songs Added: Soya

It was decent

Am Anfang war ich etwas genervt, was sich aber nach einigen Songs gegeben hat. Schön entschleunigt, zwar sehr repetitive, aber auch entspannte und launige Art. Trotzdem weiß ich, dass ich es mir wahrscheinlich nicht wieder anmachen werde. 3 – War okay / Interessant 👌 Solides Album, einige gute Momente oder Ideen. Vielleicht nichts, was ich nochmal hören würde, aber spannend zu kennen.

2006 Interesting for the first 20 minutes or so, then kind of samey. It's basically Blues, but he's probably singing about a stubborn camel or where the next watering hole is. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ nope Monotonous ★★★☆☆ (5/10)

I don't really have any strong feelings towards this album. It was pretty mellow which I liked but nothing really stuck out to me.

i liked it with two headphones

I like the Western-score sound to Erdi, and the whole album in general. Soya - The air of this sounds very much like a Hozier song; I assume he was inspired by this! Very enjoyable - would have liked a more memorable last song but as we KNOW WITH THE ALBUMS ON THIS LIST that seems rare.

Some nice African desert blues here. Smaller-scale than Tinariwen or Mdou Moctar, this still has some of the same style and reminds me of them, although I'm not kniowledgeable enough about music to say what they're doing the same exactly. I did feel I had heard everything I needed to about 3 tracks in, although the final track was my favourite. Still, good stuff, and very nice not to have another US or UK band.

Really interesting album, and really "new" music for me. I liked "Savanne", "Soya", and "Soko Yhinka".

Ali us great of course but it’s not the kind of album I’ll want to listen actively. Works really well as background music though

Good stuff

Too long winded and samey, but great vibe overall and pleasant listen.

I'm glad this is on the list! Not sure I'd revisit this particular album, but it was an interesting and energetic listen.

***An interesting album, not my cup of tea, but easy listening.

Solid.

If I had a nickel for every album straight out of Africa that I’ve rolled so far, I wouldn’t have very many, but it’s interesting that it’s happened more than once. Perhaps more interesting than the music itself was the stuff the artist was going through while making this album. It’s a pretty cool story. Here’s some things that coincided with this album being made. Ali was; Actively dying of cancer, being the mayor of a city in Mali and helping them out by building necessities with his own money, and helping his son write his own first album. Freaking incredible. The music isn’t bad either. He’s a tremendously talented guitarist, my favorite example of that coming from “Savane”, the titular song of the album. I may not know what he’s saying, but I can definitely feel it in the music. It’s good and vibey, therefore it gets a high 3 from me. And clearly, he must be a fairly prominent artist, as he’s actually got a second album on here. I look forward to hearing that one as well. This website continues to surprise me by playing good music I would never in a million years stumble upon by myself.

Cool

Dificilmente vou voltar nesse, mas achei interessante ver essa sonoridade que tá dentro de formatos ocidentais que eu conheço, mas os tensiona o tempo todo

Excelente disco!

This was an interesting fusion of sounds. Some eastern, middle eastern and French vibes. Went for too long but I liked most of it

Definitiv mal was anderes. Arabischer blues war definitiv nicht auf meiner Liste, aber wars wohl bei keinem. Leider holt mich das wirre Gitarrenspiel immerwieder raus von den ansonsten meist echt interessanten Liedern, aber man gewöhnt sich dran. 1 Stunde zieht sich dann irgendwann doch sehr. Hörenswert aber ein 2. Mal würde ich es warscheins nicht anmachen. 3/5

Love the sounds but got a little boring if I'm honest.

It looks like this is one of two Ali Farka Toure albums in this collection, and yet another Malian desert-blues contributor in this project (in addition to Songhoy Blues). I feel no more qualified to assess Ali Farka Toure's place in the Malian blues than I was with the Songhoy Blues album--other than I'm pretty sure Ali Farka Toure is Mali's most famous musician/artist--but that didn't stop me from enjoying the album, despite not understanding any of the lyrics; I particularly enjoyed the title track, and was amused that "Hanana" sounded more than a bit like a Frank Zappa song. And while it appears from the Wikipedia/1001-Albums entries that this album is a blend of traditional Malian styles and some Western influences, I was glad that it seemed rooted in a specific culture and context and didn't really have any of that homogenizing world-music sound.

Pleasant and talented guitar work on the final, posthumous album of a local legend with international reach. The songs were a tad repetitive and there weren't many standout moments but not bad. 3/5

Liked it!

The music on this record is wonderful and technically brilliant, but I do find myself having it as mainly as background stuff. That's not bad per se, but this way, highlights are missing.

Ideal soundtrack for driving through the actual Savannah in a jeep, tolerating the dry heat only because of the dusty airstream. Apart from that, not particularly good to enjoy in everyday life.

I enjoy this kind of thing but there wasn't a lot of dynamic to it, more or less the same all the way through

Favorite Track: N’jarou

Expanding while familiar.

No es lo que esperaba ni lo que escucharía de normal, aún así no está mal

Really interesting listen 3/5

Good music well-performed, but I think the blues are at their best when you have the complete thinking/feeling picture. The feeling comes through in the music and the emotion in the vocals, but without understanding the words something is missing. My sense is this is probably a 5 star record if you're well-versed in the languages spoken in Mali. For a blues casual like me, who is already pre-disposed to be stingy with stars, hearing this record on a random day it's hard to give it the highest mark.

Hressandi vissulega. En náði ekki alveg hæðunum sem ég bjóst við frá Ali Farka en kannski skiljanlegt sem síðasta platan. Alveg eins og aðrar plötur sem við höfum fengið sem eru gefnar út eftir dauða listamannsins er þetta fínpússað en kannski ekki brautryðjandi.

Þægilegur eyðimerkur blús. Alltaf gaman þegar tónlistarmenn frá Afríku ná athygli umheimsins.

Though I like a few of the songs, most seemed lacking.

Overall: 6/10 While it's not really my thing, I really respect the artistry behind this kind of music. I'm thankful the cover goes with the music, as I imagined a man sitting on his porch in a rocking chair the entire time. Fav Song: Soya Least Fav Song: Hanana

Interesting album with some catchy songs, wouldn’t listen again

Technically brilliant. Doesn’t speak to me.

Pretty cool guitar work.

6/10- cool cultural music but don’t plan on revisiting

I was mostly asleep on a bus listening to this. Maybe it deserves another chance, but I have too many albums to catch up on. I think it was solid

Standout Songs: Erdi Beto Soya Banga

It was soothing blues music just wasn’t in the mood for it

Very interesting and had some solid grooves

I found it interesting enough for one run through, but don't see myself taking to it. The whole time it reminded me of something else and I still don't know what it was. Probably a sample or something?

Went into this with no idea what to expect but ended up enjoying it. I had been hoping for some blues to turn up on the generator, but hadn't anticipated my first blues album would be from Africa. Best tracks for me were the title track and N'jarou. 3/5

This was completely new to me; I've listened to some Mdou Moctar but otherwise never really checked out Desert Blues. It's cool.

Interesting

I loved the fusion between the American blues and African music. This works well and was an enjoyable listen.

Interesting meld of African rhythms and blues. Nice listen.

very vibey and summery and genre-defying. ultimately it was just Good to me since it was a little repetitive. i bet it would slap to hear at an outdoor cafe in nice weather

not sure how i feel about this one. it's fine? some of the songs are going to cool places with the reggae beats and almost celtic sound at some points, but overall it all sounds about the same to my ears. i liked the "child in time"-esque motif in savane, and the skillful blues guitar keeps things somewhat interesting. favorites: savane, penda yoro

This was a pleasant album to have on while driving to town and back today. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t understand anything going on lyrically, but it doesn’t reduce the niceness of the sound. The guitar playing was especially fun. That said, I’m not sure it was good enough for me to want to return for another listen. I’m glad I heard it at least once though.

Repetitive I know this is supposed to be blues, but even if sometime interesting, the album feels boring to me Still sound quite good overall, but too repetitive for my taste Final opinion : It's a good album, far from the greatest or the worst, too repetive for me, I didn't get into the groove of the album

Really nice album, enjoyed the variety and the mix of sounds. I surprisingly liked the instrumentals too

The man could do fascinating things with a guitar. There's no doubt about that. And some my find this an interesting exploration of the variety of sounds possible when our traditional concept of "blues" music interacts with certain varieties of world musical styles. But it doesn't feel like anything I'm going to deliberately come back to revisit.

3,5/5 Nollaodotuksiin tää pääsi vähän yllättämään. Mukavaa jammailua.

Olihan erikoista. Autossa kuuntelun perusteella antaisin 2/5, mutta tuli kokeiltua kotikaiuttimilla ja aika hyvät soundit ja dynamiikkaa löytyy lyömäsoittimista.

Erikoisella tavalla ihan toimiva albumi. En ole aiemmin kuullutkaan tästä, bluesia oudoilla vivahteluilla. Silti hieman liian iso paketti itselle kertakuunteluun.

chillig 3

3.25

too into drawing to really register music playing but it's good background music for a show like fallout or last of us

Music is like language… we’re well-versed in our native language and might have varying levels of awareness of others. This is an interesting mash up of blues music, of which I’m familiar, and West African music, which I know nothing about. I’ve enjoyed this, and sometimes the blues is incredibly front and center, and sometimes it’s barely there and I’m not sure what’s going on. But that makes it a unique experience

It's a vibe. Nothing really stands out, but I enjoyed working to the hypnotic mood.

Music was nice and would likely give a four if could understand the words, so going with a solid 3.

Interesting to say the least which is what I will do

this was an interesting listen & one of the reasons to go thru this list. I probably won't seek it out to listen to again, but also wouldn't object if it was on for background music.

A little blues, a little Arabic sounds, I like it. Savane is really good.

Was not expecting something like this to show up on this list. Pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the style, and it sounds fantastic. Mesmerizing music beautifully recorded. Couldn't turn this one off.

Mixed bag of nice vibes and some rather forgettable songs. 5/10

Not my favorite desert blues album but he deserves a spot on the list for sure.

This was fairly forgettable for me. Language barrier can be a problem except when the music really grabs me.

I like the textures and rhythms of this album, the african blues.

African blues. Not as good as Songhoy Blues but I enjoy the style so I still I liked the album.

I enjoyed this. I liked his vocal style. I did find that there wasn't quite enough variation to keep me totally invested for the entire duration of the album.

3/5 different but I liked it

I have the utmost respect for this kind of music. It's just not my style to listen to.

Not my thing at all, but clearly genius.

I didn't understand a word on the record, but I still enjoyed the tunes. Some of the songs did sound the same as others, but overall I liked it. 3/5

The musical whiplash of going from Mariah Carey to Ali Farka Toure is exactly why I love listening to albums off of this list. An astonishing spotlight on a side of blues that I had never heard previously!

This was really interesting and I really liked it. It is not quite jazz and has some nearly experimental bits. It is certainly refreshing world music and it matters as far as simply hearing it and knowing about it goes. I am all for diversity and a deeper understanding of other cultures and musical taste and variety and thank 1001 album generator for the chance. I think the music is of good quality and never gets boring, I wish in a way I could understand what the lyrics are saying because that would really shine a light on the culture and meaning in the music. Alas, I don't actually know what language they are singing in so ....

This album was a lot more interesting and pleasant than I had expected. I really enjoyed the guitar, and how much of the music resembled American folk music. Nonetheless, it is not something I’ll choose to return to. Grateful to have experienced it once *before I die*.

i fear this may be too niche for me to appreciate, but i'll rate anyway Erdi - 2/5 Yer Bounda Fara - 4/5 Beto - 4/5 Savane - 3/5 Soya - 4/5 Penda Yoro - 3/5 Machengoidi - 2/5 Ledi Coumbe - 2/5 Hanana - 1/5 Soko Yhinka - 2/5 Gambari Didi - 4/5 Banga - 3/5 N'jarou - 3/5 Average score: 2.8/5 (rounding up) yeah i felt like i could only half appreciate this album sadly, just not the kind of music i gravitate towards. i will say i enjoyed this far more than i thought i would at least

i love this

Fun Blues Music. Great for background while at work

Enjoyable enough, but hard to imagine a situation where I'd listen to it again.

Could see this as interesting background music

With all due respect to Ali Farka Touré and his work and legacy, I found this stripped-down blues album to be quite boring and too long.

I can't count how many blues albums I have suffered after 700 recordings on this list but this might be the only one I actually like.

Listened to it a few times over the weekend - hoping it would grow on me - and whilst I enjoyed it did not breakthrough and faded into pleasant background music.

World music great listen

Random thoughts: * Before 1001, I never heard of the genre "African desert blues" * I listened to this one awhile ago and I don't remember much from it. It was alright and I would listen again.

Wasn’t familiar with this guy before but really liked his sound and the vibe of this record. I read afterwards this was released posthumously and Ali recorded it knowing he was dying, but you’d never tell because the guy sounds chill as hell on this. I can see the influence his guitar tone alone has had on more recent bands like Songhoy Blues, and will probably check out some of his earlier records.

Some interesting sounds on here, but for me it's mostly unrelatable.

It's pretty chill and a nice enough time in general. There's some quite complex arrangements here that are very well done, it's just it doesn't massively stir anything in me. It all weaves together nicely and is an easy enough listen.

Not bad, gets a little samey in places though

Rich, lively and uniquely deeply bayoufied. Creole dialect and all. A lot to appreciate here but also alot to overlook and write off as noise. As a blues conscious fan, I have to say this album did not deserve tinny guitars and compression. This album needed a few mics in a room with acoustic instruments slightly out of tune. Would add so much more character.

Good work backdrop: chill and tuneful. Probably wouldn't seek this out often, but it might make its way on to the work rotation.

Have an old relationship with Afro-world music and Toure, but have never heard this. I like it and am reacquainting myself with that attraction. Straightforward without being simplistic. Laid back. Not having any sense of what he's singing or how it fits culturally, I'm simply along for the ride. Wikipedia tells me that's Toumani Diabate there too, who I adore. Elemental.

If I were sitting poolside in the sun with Jen and a summer cocktail I would enjoy this more. However, trying to take it in today with work and the news of the world, I can't get it into it. It's me not you, Ali

liked the general vibe of this one, although he declares himself a blues singer and I thought it sounded pretty upbeat, obviously couldn't understand it lyrically though. overall no fave song but just enjoyed having it on

I enjoyed it a lot at first which I didn’t quite expect to seeing as I couldn’t understand a thing he was saying, but then because of that I think I lost a lot of interest later into the album. I must say it was still quite good though and I really did love the music and the guitar and everything. Great stuff fs, just mildly unnoticeable.

Another lesson in: enjoy for a song or too, clearly too much for an album for my tatse

Could be into this under the right circumstances. Think road trip through Spain.

Nice to chill to

Eerder mochten we een mijmer-album van Ali beluisteren. Dit komt wel terug op dit album, maar het album is veel gevarieerder. Daardoor valt wel op dat de zang niet altijd even zuiver is. Ik luister deze keer via de TV en dat beïnvloedt de luister-ervaring. Want ik kijk de hele tijd tegen een ontzettend vrolijke volle lach van een muzikant aan. Ik neem aan dat dat dan Ali is. Kunnen we afspreken dat alle muzikanten voor gewoon uitstralen dat ze er zin in hebben? Daarmee verdien je van mij alvast je eerste ster!

Pleasant enough instrumentals.

Dusk is setting. You're sitting on a Malian porch, next to you is Ali in his laid-back rocking chair - in just the same position as on the cover. As the sun sets, he keeps plucking warm, mellow tones out of his guitar strings. On another day or on another whim, he might have been playing a functionally interchangeable set of songs and tones, but all you know is that it's been a good day, and this music serves a good ending to a good day.

This was interesting, had some cool rhythms to it. Not something I would pick off the shelf and listen to again but can appreciate the style, I just prefer to listen to either instrumentals or something that I can understand.

One of those albums where I really appreciate being exposed to it, even if I don’t necessarily love it. Kind of muted and verges on boring, but still a valuable and unique mixture of sounds and cultures. Best song: Banga

The album cover had me excited. Music was alright.

I enjoyed this

Refreshingly different. More of this and less repetition of bands and artists with several albums would be welcome.

This is African blues. Well, technically all blues is African, but you know what I mean. Good album.

very cute very nice, good for a morning session. would’ve enjoyed it more if it wasn’t one of those albums that I’ve postponed listening to for more than a week and suddenly on one day decide to listen to all 16 of them.

I don't hate this but I also don't particularly want to listen to it. 2.5

Did not fully listen and give it the chance it deserves - but respect the artistry for sure

This gives me strong Songhoy Blues vibes, and it's difficult to pinpoint its exact genre. I found myself being a little bored with how long, and drawn out it was, but I also found myself bopping to the beats. It's a solid album that I would have never listened to if it wasn't for this generator. Favorite Song: "Soko Yhinka"

pretty cool listen

Blind album and artist. Afro-blues? Definitely an interesting listen i personally wouldn't seek out, but glad I tried it. Sad this guy died cause Im sure a lot of people liked this, just not my thing.

Very good

I like the vibe of the record and the African sound, but I don't like the blues...

Didn’t have time to listen to all of this, but it’s pretty good. I am stuck in a 3/5 death spiral though.

An interesting album with a unique take on a familiar acoustic blues guitar sound. I understand it's largely traditional minded African fold music, but there seems to be a broader range of cultural influences across the whole record. Some songs have a middle eastern feel, like Erdi and Penda Yoro. Some more reminiscent of old southern American blues/hymnals, like Yer Bounda Fara. A Hybrid of all that and more traditional African folk on Beto. And then you have what seems like a Celtic influence on Soya. The trend continues throughout the album with a variety of cultures blended into the core African folk foundation.

The song openings often excite me, but the hypnotic grooves that almost every track falls into eventually loose my attention. The few times the rhythm fades out - does it ever stop? - a change-up is teased but never delivered. The songs are pretty and soulful, but not my kind of repetition. Ferocious, ragged and live records by the Saharan bands Group Inerane, Group Doueh and Bombino slay this sort of desert roots rock and make this record sound gentrified, excessively polite. This has the juice, just watered-down.

I suspect I’ve listened to it before but forgot to rate it. The tempo is consistently slow without much changing throughout the album, they use some traditional instruments (which have similarities to Indian ones I think) too I think and manage to get a good tribal sound.

Quite relaxing and soothing!

It's nice, but I feel the songs don't really go anywhere.

Not bad. I understand its place in the list.

This was certainly interesting. I enjoyed some of it, but there are parts where high pitched sounds are used (Hanana is a good example) that are like nails on a chalkboard to me.

11/26/24. Feel this one is a good introduction to African blues music. I hear a lot of sounds from one my current favorite bands, Mdou Moctar, so I now know where the influence comes from!

Nice, classic African Blues. Quite enjoyable sound, cool guitar vibes, pretty nice album. It's not my favourite genre, but I still enjoyed it as much as I could.

Ali Farka Touré’s Savane is a masterpiece that captures the essence of traditional African music, incorporating elements of blues and jazz in a unique and authentic way. The compositions are marked by a rich and immersive sound, where Touré’s guitar playing stands out with its smooth textures and hypnotic rhythms. Cultural influences are masterfully interwoven, creating an atmosphere that transports the listener to the vast landscapes of Mali. The collaborations of talented musicians further enhance the depth of the album, resulting in a distinct listening experience that reflects the musical diversity of the region. However, the album’s long length may become a hindrance for some listeners, leading to a certain loss of interest as the tracks progress. While the depth of Touré’s songs adds value to his art, Savane’s excessive length can make the experience tiresome. The lack of rhythmic variation between some tracks contributes to a feeling of repetitiveness, which may turn off those seeking a more dynamic engagement. Overall, Savane is a rich celebration of African musical heritage, but its length and pacing could be adjusted to keep listeners engaged.

Hyggelig, og fint. Mine DJ Brevet øre var tilfredse. Bliver dog lidt meget det samme efter 50 minutter.

Åh det her må være det sværeste album jeg har fået ind til videre. Jeg har både tænkt det var en lille 5er og en stor 1er. Det er sjovt, legende og jeg forstår det ikke. En sang eller to underholder mig. Men så har jeg også brug for at høre noget hvor koderne er indlejret mere i min musikalske DNA. Kompromiset bliver en 3er.

Like the sound of this but the singing ruins it for me

I feel worldly!!

This was pretty good but not something I’d put on all the time. This is a light 3/5. It definitely has merit but not something I could listen to all the time

>3 <4

Can't say that this stood out in any way relative to the other album of Ali Farka Toure's on this list. I mean it is fine music, but I don't think it really moved the needle for me. Perfect 3 territory.

I like this album coming up for some variety and it has some really cool sounds. Pretty repetitive though and a bit long. Savane the song was really cool with the different guitar parts.

Good, not my cuppa

fun vibe!

Really good vibe, need to do some research into this guy

Sometimes the music transcends the language barrier. Good stuff

well crafted album that doesnt miss but also doesnt hit hard

The kinda music u listen to when u just wanna chill or do minimal dances

2.5

Bluesy african music, not what I'd typically go for but it was pretty good and I'm glad when this list gives me something different for once. It was a bit long though. Stand-out: Banga

Fascinating album. There are track that I totally and emotionally connect with. But there are as many that I’m, meh! 3.3

Interesting!

Pretty cool record, if a little samey. Nice overall vibe.

Not to be listened to on a wet October night in Ireland

Nice vibes but just very repetitive

I like this but not sure if I like it enough for a 4. Maybe!

Intriguing!

A fun listen with plenty of variety, could have done with a few more upbeat songs though.