Savane

Nice enough.... But boring

No - I still don't really get what's good in African music.

Not my type of music. But I can kinda appreciate it.

West African. 3/5

Chill, 4/5

Props to this list for even surfacing this album to me. Definitely a departure from the usual, and I did dig the rhythms and style for a bit. Over time, I got a little burned out over a whole album's worth, particularly when I didn't really know the context or meaning of the songs. I'm also probably not well-versed enough in this genre to really hear the subtleties of the different tunes and appreciate them. That said, good exposure to something new and maybe I'll try to learn a little more about it.

great

Definitely out of my wheelhouse but really enjoyed listening to it

Not for me.

An incredibly organic blues journey that feels so raw and intricate

Great vibe and sound, but I just don’t think I’m a smart enough listener to be able to love something like this for a whole album. 3.5/5

The King of the desert blues singers huh? Should be pretty cool. meh, lost interest pretty quickly. Sorry hommie. 2 stars.

I have started listening to all albums twice, when I have the time (no, not the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), because I’ve found that getting more familiar with the album and knowing more what to expect, mostly impacts rating positively. This time, I only got more annoyed and took it down one star. That’s how little I like this album

In some places early on in Savane, it really reminded me of southern Italian folk music from the 50s and 60s. There were some ok sounds and motifs throughout, yet after about halfway though the album, as I had no connection to anything, I wanted nothing more than to tune right out and pretty much turn it off. Almost pushing 1 hour is too long. Best: Yer Bounda Fara Worst: Gambari Didi

NIce live sound and quite relaxing, but not my cup of tea.

Interesting to listen to the 'etymology' of the blues and hear a Senegalese version. Not so keen on the music. It's all a bit basic. I prefer my music more complex in terms of instrumentation and song structure x

There have been a few albums like this on the list and I really enjoy them, because I don't know how I would ever encounter them otherwise. I found this really pleasant and relaxing to listen to...so much so that I actually had to shut it off as it was 6am and it was making me drowsy as I drove. Probably wouldn't listen again but I enjoyed it all the same. Maybe more of a 3.5?

great stuff! 4 stars.

Nice to hear different sounds and instruments, but a little bit too repetitive for me. It feels like a long song with pauses between verses, which for some I guess could be a nice thing, but it’s not my cup of tea

Yep, another decent entry that I enjoyed but probably will never listen to again.

As a blues fan, there were parts that I did like but this album was not necessarily my favorite, but cool

Fun album, enjoyed the sounds

I think it's good but not what I like to listen to. The instrumentals are nice. I did enjoy it somewhat as background music.

Никогда бы не подумала, что мне может зайти - и настолько зайти - африканский фолк-блюз(?), but here I am. Определённо не то, что я смогла бы слушать постоянно, но под некоторые настроения заходит идеально

Great Album! Love, Love, Love.

A true East meets West situation. Like if Robert Johnson sold his soul to Allah and not the devil. Nice blues instrumentation with a middle-eastern flair.

Blues and World music collide in a passionate stew

Maybe, if I understood the lyrics, it might be ok……….oh, who am I kidding, this is awful. Pretty sure AI is picking these albums and laughing at the inferior humans.

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

Not my favorite

Ok. Not great

Cool. Buzzy.

Stuff like this really motivates me to keep with the list. This was incredibly good, and something I never would have known existed otherwise. The blues with African and Arabic sounds comes together in a way I didn't expect.

I wish I could say Banga was a banger, but it’s just ok! Savane and N’Jarou were the tracks I enjoyed the most. Nothing was bad, but nothing was fantastic either.

Awesome vibes, can't wait for a summer road trip playing this.

I found this incredibly boring

Really glad this exists, it’s interesting and fun and a cool combination of genres I never would have thought of. That being said I didn’t massively love it but I did enjoy it

It was ok

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

Every time we get an African artist on here I enjoy it but at the same time I don't have the context to judge it compared to other African music. I'm just not that familiar with these genres. It's good, but is it something special or just generic Malian music? No idea. 3 stars.

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

I don't understand any of the words that Toure sang... and I don't care. This album is fantastic. Blues are universal, and instruments are their own voice that transcends language. I'm not sure I could pick out a single track to add to my favorites list just yet, but the whole album can go into rotation, especially as general background music for my life. Out of all the 'modern' (ie since 2000) albums, this is my favorite. I can and will recommend this album to people without hesitation.

Absolutely classic blues with a zing!

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.

I’m sure it was very influential it just didn’t hold my attention

2 - I'm really not a blues guy, so I can't really get into it.

I'm sure that to people familiar with this style of music this is an outstanding album. To me, as someone with minimal experience of this style of music, I found it very difficult to get into. The tracks all sounded very similar, so much so it felt like one long track. I made it the whole way through and can appreciate there is considerable musical ability on show. This all leads to my bog standard award of "my ears weren't bleeding, I didn't want to kill myself, and I made it all the way through the album" 2 stars!

4/5

I don’t feel like I know how to categorize this one in my head.

Some bits would be good, but overall not my thing

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.

Ok as background but forgettable

i wonder if the book contains any insight into why albums like this are chosen

boring, so monotonous

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.

I don't get it. Where is the groove that I've always heard with desert blues?

A very unique album that combine’s traditional sounds with blues/psychedelia. Not sure I’ll listen again because the songs kinda meld together and I didn’t find any in particular super catchy. I can appreciate the sheer uniqueness of this one though

Very folky, but also like a genre I’d never heard before. Also kind of like stereotypical pub music

I liked this. Not something I would put on all the time, but would for sure listen again.

I enjoyed this. Reminded me of Mdou Moctar, but I know I have that backwards. I don't tend to enjoy the blues anymore, as it feels super played out, but I do enjoy this. 3.49/5

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.

3.7

Call it a cultural blind spot, but I find it a little hard to focus on this record, even though it kind of works as "background music". Seems to me that the Ali Farka Touré LP recorded and co-signed with Ry Cooder--also in Dimery's book--is more accessible to my admittedly untrained ear than *Savane*. Untrained ear for traditional Malian music, at least... I can spot a lot of arrangements inspired by North American blues, for instance, just as I spotted them in that other album. But I would lie if I said those arrangements bring me closer to the emotions Touré probably conveys to his usual listeners. If anything, I think they even muddle the picture this time around... I've said it before, but maybe including full-length releases coming from outside of the American-European-Australian sphere does a disservice to everyone. Fans of "global sounds" (and their modern pop offshoots) will always think there's not enough room for their favorite recordings. And rock, rap and electronic music buffs might consider that this fistful of "world music" records are taking up critical spots for other favorite albums of theirs. So aside from such a list, you could have a 1001 best recordings list dedicated to the African continent, South and Central Americas, and Asia and Oceania. Plus, maybe, several shorter lists one for "classical" and traditional music from each continent. Of course doing this could attract its own share of criticism. But there would be a far more "equal" representation of music from all over the world. Because the maths are unavoidable here: after all, 1001 is a finite number, is it not? Hard to grade this record, as a consequence. I will give it a tentative 2/5 mark, translating to a 7/10 grade for more general purposes. (5 + 2) Number of albums left to review: 316 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 307 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 167 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many other records are more important to me): 223 (oncluding this one)

It was okay. I dig the guitar but some of it just kind of droned on. The self titled song was good

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.

2/5

Good composition of music and emotion for the African style.

SOme interesting beats but at other times somewhat a complete racket. Reckon you have to be into this genre to appreciate

It makes for interesting background music. The chords are very melodic, but also very repetitive. The guitar playing is excellent, and the songs have a pleasant cadence to them. All in all, it’s pretty good

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.

3.

I listened to this album twice and had two different experiences. Using headphones made me appreciate how intricate the music is. I was really missing lower octave notes, though.

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

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

Wasn't feeling it.

mali albumi.. mikrotonaalinen avant-garde teos... . ei, ei voi termejä käyttää. MUSIIKKI ON MUSIIKKIA..tämä koskettaa.. häpelöi, hyväilee.. tarvi teknistä soopaa kerskailla.. kitaratyöskentely... ei kitaran stringejä näppäile, vaan sydämen...heartstrings being played... holey moley... aavikkoblues, bamako style... varo ettei hiekkaa mene silmiin heh savane

C'est un tantinet unidimensinel, mais c'est le genre de musique qui fait vraiment voyager. Très bien produit, intemporel, je comprends pourquoi Ali Farka Touré a cette réputation. Ce n'est pas un coup de coeur instantanné, mais c'est définitivement à réessayer. 7/10

Nothing spectacular but good. 3/5

Es como india o africana ... cansina. No me ha gustado. Antes le puse un 3. Ahora un 2.

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.

I recognize his last name because Khruangbin did an album with his son recently. Check it out if you like this.

Not my type of genre

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

Hypnotic.

Good and groovin'.

Really great mixture of musical styles. Only complaint is that the repetition is well, really repetitive. You need about a minute of each song and it's time to move on.

Quite good, but I do prefer 'the source'.

It's fine but I wouldn't mind more of a tune.

Very nice change of pace

Not my usual but was very enjoyable.

Jag har aldrig lyssnat på den här typen av musik tidigare, och jag kommer aldrig att göra det igen; men jag är glad att jag lyssnade på den idag. Intressant musik, men lite för repetitiv.

Moody and thoughtful, this was a great listen.

Dude can play a guitar for sure. I like his sound but I wish I spoke all the languages he does.

Sounds like an African John Lee Hooker.

Ooh I’m looking forward to this. While I don’t know the album, I do know the artist. I listened to a couple of his other albums on repeat during the pandemic lockdowns. Toure’s voice and blend of instruments are so soothing. One instrument in particular - I think it’s the kora? - produces a beautiful bluesy sound that I adore. In the end, this album does not disappoint.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Essentially blues, but it slips and slinks around unexpectedly in fun ways.

You can feel this is a posthumous release solely from the surreal spiritualism spoken and meditative rhythms. He’s speaking to us from the afterlife. Solid offering for centering yourself.

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!

A nice change of pace after Mariah Carey. I like a bit of Afro Beat, but Ali is not a name I'm familiar with. Nothing blew me away, but it was nice to have music with a bit of soul.

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. 🐫🐫🐫🐫

I just don’t like many of these noises. Never liked harmonics, the guitar is very “twangy” and I find his nasally vocals unpleasant. Turned this off half way through.

just ok, a little boring after awhile

This was more listenable than the Timbuktu record.

I have no idea what he's saying and it doesn't even matter. The music and vibes transcend the need for understanding the lyrics. You can feel the soul in every single note being played here. Just some really solid blues with some very interesting instrumentation. Can't wait to listen to this again. Standout Tracks: Erdi, Savane, N'jarou

Not my jam

Great rhythms and lots of different instruments.

Hmm…

So light and yet it has so much substance. Like Tom Waits without the gravelly gruffness. I could honestly listen to this forever.

The instruments mesh together well, creating a distinctive, warm, laid-back atmosphere. For such an unfamiliar musical style, I enjoyed it more than I expected to. Now for the negatives. The songs are unadventurous and painstakingly repetitive. This makes the album really dull for close listening after the first 30 seconds or so of each track, and even a little grating in the lengthier ones. Some people might describe the songs as "chill, doin' their own thang" but I think it's very important that the musicians interact with and entertain the listener as much as possible. In my eyes, Toure's music does not accomplish this.

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

Had its moments, but definitely not my thing

It was overall nice and clean, good instrumentation but It was a bit slow and repetetive for my liking, the album seemed to have no progression and it felt like one long song with no clear changes.

Nope

Another language, but in the best possible way. The Mali guitar has always given the definitive soul in a new way. The blues of the desert air. Sounds of the bazaar that I cannot reproduce because I don't know what dusty instrument that is. The guitar music of Mali has always been meditative in nature. It sounds like a mantra that I can rest on to lose all focus while searching for true focus. The staccato licks pull back to allow the unexpected refocus. No way in the Western tradition to follow the lines that are carved in the desert sand only to be recovered by the next warm wind.

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.

Change of pace from typical music. Neat guitar grooves, enjoyable and relaxing to listen to.

Not for me

Like the last one, I enjoyed the sound but this kind of felt the same after 10 tracks or so.

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: it wasn’t bad but not something I’d listen to again Favourite song: didn’t have one

Always exciting to see something that I know is going to be very new to me here. I really like his guitar playing. It's very intricate but simultaneously pleasant. It's neat to hear the mix of blues with African music.

This is an album that I would have never discovered had it not been for this app. Not my cup of tea, but I’m grateful to have experienced it.

Smooth and bluesy with some bounce, but a little repetitive within each song. Easily fades into the background. But it makes a good background.

Very Interesting..something I would hear on NPR's Echos

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.

Cool but I won’t listen often

Album 211 of 1001 Ali Farka Toure - Savane Rating : 3 / 5 Great for some background music, but nothing I'm going to get too deep into. Good mood music. ______________________________ Savane is the final solo album by Malian musician Ali Farka Touré. It is the third and final part of the Hôtel Mandé Sessions, featuring Touré and Toumani Diabaté, recorded by World Circuit head Nick Gold. The album was released posthumously by World Circuit on 17 July 2006, more than four months after Touré's death.

Excellent guitar playing but I can't connect with it if I can't understand the lyrics

Music is good

Interesting is the word I would use. For a westerner trying to grasp this isn’t difficult with its blues roots, but it also isn’t easy with its complex mixing of African cultural music. This is certainly great for a casual shindig, but I don’t see myself reaching out to play any of these songs on a regular basis. The blend is beautiful and the instrumentation follows suit! I love the rhythmic chanting-type of singing, as well.

Outstanding. This will go in my frequently listened list. Unique, original, great musician ship, great songs. Loved it!

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

The wiki says this is African Blues so that's slightly different than what I usually expect from this project. At first, I was worried this was going to be something you'd hear on NPR late at night. #1 - I couldn't make out a word the gentleman was saying, and the instrumentals are eclectic and all over the place and work together in parts. This is going to be a very unique album to say the least. #2 - Okay, this is starting to sound more like blues that I would expect. This one feels a lot more structured and put together. It flows really well even if it sounds somber and mournful. #3 - I didn't know African Blues was a genre, but if you had to have me point to a song that would be most similar to it, it would be this one. Good music picking and instrumentals, lovely background vocals. ★ #4 - It starts with an almost latin american style guitar picking and that continues. The song is very mellow and relaxing without being tiring. #5 - Good beat, I found myself following along. Again, good mix of instrumentals and vocals. #6 - Another bluesy song. Great all around. Mr. Toure knows how to put in background vocals as well as create this kind of music. I haven't heard this good of guitar picking in a while. #7 - To me, it sounds like this would be sung while doing work (something like The Song of the Volga Boatmen, for example). It's good. #8 - First one of the album where I felt this one was alright. Definitely not my favorite of the album. #9 - Short and sweet with parts that sound frenzied (could be a good track to run to or if something hectic/fastpaced was happening a movie). Good bass. #10 - Simple to follow along with. Found myself humming the song after the album was over. ★ #11 - Instrumentals here were good, enjoyed the thumping. Compared to previous tracks, I'm not entirely sure if the vocals they went with worked well. #12 - A good, quality song. Not much more to say. #13 - Really not much more to say about this album. If you got this point, you know what to expect. A good track to send us off. While I don't speak the language of Ali Farka Touré, there's clear passion to his craft in these songs. After some of the albums I've been getting, this has been a very pleasant surprise; I've never heard of him. I feel like this album is what the 1001 album book should showcase more of (granted I'm only day 60 of 1001 so we'll see). So far, this is one where I was confident in giving a five only a few songs in.

downloaded savane, a pleasant switch up. not my style but was peaceful to paint to

Musically sound and I’m sure there is great talent there, but the music was not to my taste.

N'jarou rules

I'm at track 7. Really like the vibe so far. I would have to be in a certain mood to want to listen to this, but it's nice. I will say, though, I just thought to myself, "geez, this is an extremely long song", only to look up and see it was at track 6 and track 1 wasn't like 25 minutes long... Certainly a noticeable change between tracks 5 and 6, though. Personally, I particularly like that dude turned the top floor of a hotel into a recording studio for this. There's certainly some live-ness to the sounds that you wouldn't get in most treated recording studios. It wouldn't work for everything, but it does on this, for sure.

Something special here. Transports you to another place, these desert blues, and this effortless, masterful guitar playing is exemplary. What a talent and what a recording - captures the sound and the mood perfectly.

Rhythmic, full bodied, rich. A truly new genre for me and a fun listening experience

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.

Feeling ill-equipped to offer highly-intelligent feedback on this album. It's definitely a curiosity that I enjoyed listening to for the first 20 mins. However, the album became long soonafter the 20 min. mark. Really thankful for the exposure, but seems out of place on this list.

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.

Ali plays the blues well. A solid 3.5.

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

Fantastic desert blues!

For a jazz album, this one was pretty unremarkable.

I’d like to give it 3.5 stars but tags not an option

not as good as with ry cooder but man this guy just loves to have a jam

This ruled. I had another of his albums earlier and did not like it nearly as much. This album was haunting and hypnotic.

4.0

Very nice Jazz/blues album and always cool to hear music from other parts of the world. Definitely enjoyed the mix up.

Interesting different sounds. Enjoyed it, maybe wouldnt listen to it again, but I did enjoy. 3

Interesting mashup of blues and middle eastern music. Not a fan of middle eastern music but it is well made.

I found this to be a little boring. It's not something I'd normally listen to, but it was fine for what it was. Not terrible but overall not my favorite.

Un peu longuet

comprends pas bague

An interesting listen. Still undecided.

Really cool. I've never heard anything like it

Interesting

Ok

The same African mumbling with instrumental improv throughout the album. It sounds like it has been recorded in one go without preparation (would be cool if it really was though).

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.

a very pleasant listen, but not above the level of background music. sorry.

Très très loin de ma zone de confort ce blues malien, mais pas intéressant. Ce mélange de cultures, ces rythmes lancinants, c'est au final assez intéressant. Ça n'en fait pas pour autant un nouveau filon a creuser pour moi. Mais un moment souvent agréable.

SHACK listens to this while he's wet and naked with TRENT.

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.

Yaya, Yaya-Yaya, Yaya-Yaya, Yaya, Yaya Toure Kolo, Kolo-Kolo, Kolo-Kolo, Kolo, Kolo Toure! Yaya, Yaya-Yaya, Yaya-Yaya, Yaya, Yaya Toure Kolo, Kolo-Kolo, Kolo-Kolo, Kolo, Kolo Toure! Yaya, Yaya-Yaya, Yaya-Yaya, Yaya, Yaya Toure Kolo, Kolo-Kolo, Kolo-Kolo, Kolo, Kolo Toure! Yaya, Yaya-Yaya, Yaya-Yaya, Yaya, Yaya Toure Kolo, Kolo-Kolo, Kolo-Kolo, Kolo, Kolo Toure!

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

This might be one of my first exposures to Desert Blues music in any real depth. I know after hearing this though, I will absolutely seek out a physical release of this album and explore this genre. It's evocative, it's hypnotic, it's enchanting, it's very beautiful. It brought an amazing and immediately intriguing style of North and West African music to my attention, bringing forth a general feeling comparable to Western Soul and Blues, but with Malian flair. It kept me hooked for the entire time, seeming to be good music for driving, working, or just having in the background to vibe with. It's fair to say that I'm hooked on this album upon the first listen. Thanks for introducing a whole genre to me, Generator! Favourite: Yer Bounda Fara

pretty unique. not bad.

3/5. I usually dislike worldwide music, as the lyrics obviously don’t connect with me. But on Savane, the instrumentation was wonderful, and the vocals were not at all overpowering.

Reminded me a little of irish music. Wasn't a huge fan.

fine

I’ve always loved this album. Glad to see it included on this list. It’s a great album to throw on and vibe with. It’s so effortlessly cool.

wow. was completely unfamiliar with this album and artist but it’s really excellent. going to listen to this a lot in the future

Interesting and personal take on the blues, weaving in other influences from other cultures and places. Very nicely done.

Chill å jobba til, og gøy med litt meir afrikansk her, men følte da nok ikkje heilt

If I was being tongue in cheek, I would say something like 'no wonder middle Eastern folk are angry all the time..their music sucks'. Monotonous

Interesting album i'll save it to my World Music list but i'm not compelled to listen to it again right now, but one day I will.

5/10. I kinda expected to like this more, but it was just meh

Interesting to hear sounds that are foreign to me but it wasn’t a super engaging album. 6/10

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.

I’ve listened to other albums by this artist before and always enjoy it to some degree, I like the instrumentation on this one and the hypnotic tone of West African music in general. I don’t love the vocals, maybe if I understand them I’d feel different. 3.5

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.

2 A rather uninspired jam session, but quite enjoyable nontheless.

Blues africano. Un tanto rollo. Le pongo un 3 por agradecer que metan cosas distintas en la lista...

3/13, 23%

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.

Omg

Mielenkiinto loppu toisen biisin kohdalla. Kuuntelin silti läpi enkä kokenut valaistumista. Ei jatkoon.

Paikoin ihan jees, mut turhan paljon samanlaista ”desert blues”-renkutusta ja sanatkin luonnollisesti meni ohi, ku ei ollu ihan omalla äidinkielellä

Best Song: Machengoidi. I'm just a sucker for gang vocals. I like the rolling rhythm of this one too. Worst Song: Savane. Just too long to drag on that soulful guitar solo... Overall: A breath of fresh air in this often stale playlist. That being said, I don't know how often I'll come back to it. Very relaxed, lay outside type of music.

Hmm not for me

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.

As much as I wish this list had more World music, this album just didn't do anything for me. A very chill album. Too chill. Boringly chill.

This is just an album I can’t really understand and it falls short on my musical knowledge. It sounded fine but this is in a category of music that I have little knowledge of and don’t really enjoy. Not gonna revisit this one. 2.0/10

Beautiful

Idk, I kinda feel bad giving this one such a low score, it's a posthumous release from an icon in west African music and I respect that...but I just do not vibe with the music at all. Album has exactly one sound that it never deviates from, the song structures and instrumentation aren't interesting, and at an hour long it was really a slog to get through. Maybe some of his other albums would do me better, but I did not like this.

This was very easy to listen to. I quite enjoyed the melodies and the spoken word, even though I didn’t understand what was being said (it was in a different language).

Monotonous

World music is why I am here thank you

I know I'm a stereotype of myself, but I fucking loved this. 4 tracks in and I was already sad at how quickly it was going by. I never wanted it to end! Cool rock attitudes with some traditional elements and an overall catchy swagger.

African Blues made by a dying artist. I was into it at first but it slowly got a little boring as it went on. Still, I did not dislike it and can recommend if you're into this kind of music. 2.5

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!

Interesting album

Really good blues, but it’s not always my favourite genre

This is some music I have not really heard anything like before. It really probably shouldn't play a factor in my review, but it does make it very difficult for me to vibe with and like an album when I simply don't understand the lyrics. The first few songs on the album had me thinking that maybe I'd enjoy it just for the tunes because I thought a couple of those early tracks were jamming a bit! As the album kept going, though, it was a lot of the same stuff, and none of it was really doing much for me anymore. I can see an appeal here for sure! I enjoyed hearing something new, but that doesn't mean I enjoyed the album overall.

Knowing he was going to die after making his final album, I'm not going to disrespect. Thought is was interesting, but can't say this is something I would listen to or revisit. Thanks for your contribution and the unique listening experience. It did get me thinking though. What if Stacey's Mom was really Jessie's Girl and her phone number was 8675309? Think about it.........

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

2.5 Impressive guitar work, and reminiscent of Blackstar in that it was written and recorded by an artist knowing that his last days were upon him. Supposedly Touré pioneered the genre of music heard here, referred to as desert blues, which is definitely what I would consider an apt label for what I heard - a little drier and more chaotic than your normal blues, keeping you on your toes while you listen. Unfortunately, all of that charm seems to run out somewhere about halfway through this album and it’s a long journey to the end from there. Didn’t dislike anything I heard here, but it was a bit long and didn’t give me much to grab onto (I think it’s in French? Couldn’t find confirmation, but that’s the official language of his native country, Mali). Hesitant to give another 2.5 since I feel like I’ve been handing out a lot of those lately, but really feel like we’re in a string of “meh” albums. While not one of my favorites, I guess Matthew McConaughey is a big fan. Alright, alright, alright.

Interesting listen, wasn’t able to appreciate the lyrics not knowing the language, but the comps were enjoyable. Not sure I would listen again.

Not sure if I'd put this one on my list, certainly unique, but I skipped a few and didn't really connect to any of them.

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

Hade jag gillat blues så hade jag gillat det här på riktigt.

Grating

Distinctively bluesy but lush and rich in its unique and diverse choice of instruments. Atmospheric, capable of hiding in the background and letting the overarching instrumentation carry the flow. It's repetitive in the same way reggae is, which can be pleasant but sometimes tiresome. Sometimes has cool moments, especially when the harmonica comes in. It's a long album with too many tracks that don't leave an impression. Favorites: Erdi, Beto, Savane, Soya, Soko Yhinka, N'jarou

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.

Brilliant album

I knew I wouldn't like this, but time flew by really fast and I didn't hate it.

it was decent the ensemble of instruments reminded made me think of medieval europe for some reason 3.5

Spectacular. Quintessential West African 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.

I love love love desert blues, or tishoumaren, or whatever you want to call it, and Ali Farka Touré is the daddy. It's hypnotic, exotic, but familiar at the same time. You can easily let it blend into a wonderful background wash, but it also repays close attention, which is a quality I highly value in music. Fave track - "Yer Bounda Fara" maybe? It's not really about individual tracks with this one...

This one completely dodges the complaints leveled at my other African album (the Koffi Olomide one). It not only feels real, but it’s interesting and enjoyable. 4 stars, but one added just because I felt nice today (it’s because of my new dog).

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."

2.5

african country? music wasn't the vibe

It didn't end up being as bad as it started and did sink into the background quiet nicely

Not bad. Just not for me.

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.

not bad music! just not something I would typically listen to

cool

didnt hate it but not really my thing

It was just okay

Blues africano.

I wasn’t familiar with this artist so I did a quick Wikipedia and he’s known for combining Malian music and American blues. I can hear that right away — African rhythms and melodies with bluesy chords. I can get a little restless with straight blues because (unless the performance is stunning) it can start to all sound the same. But this sort of fusion is where it’s at! I’m digging it. I love his finger-plucking guitar playing. It sounds a little chaotic in a cool, jazzy way. The title track “Savane” has some awesome soloing.

This was a pretty sweet record and weirdly felt both modern and old to me. Sometimes I get caught up in a sound like this because it is foreign and naturally this makes me intrigued. "Oooo a familiar genre (delta blues) being played by someone from a place in the world that doesn't normally play this music". Sort of like a grunge band from Tibet or an Irish Surf Rock band. I think it can color my opinion a little bit and makes for a slightly different listening experience as I sit and wonder about the sound itself and get distanced from the actual compositions. It's easy to want to spend conscious thought on how and why a performer landed on this genre all the meanwhile some nice music is being ingested in my unconscious and not having enough attention placed on it. This innate interest due to the logistics of the performer and genre they are playing isn't a bad thing though! I think it's probably in the same space (but opposite end of the spectrum) as listening to an album here that is very nostalgic. Overall for me it's a 3/5. I liked it a lot but felt it was a little repetitive at times (pretty on bar for blues though). Nice album to put on while doing something.

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

Fascinating listen. I don't speak the language but the arrangements were great.

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.

Ali Farka Touré's "Savane" is a beautiful album that showcases the intricate guitar work and soulful singing that is characteristic of West African music. Touré's guitar playing is impressive, and the rhythms and melodies of the songs are enchanting. The album takes the listener on a journey through the savannahs of Mali, with songs that evoke the vastness of the landscape and the spirit of the people who live there. The title track, "Savane," is a standout, with its haunting melody and Touré's emotive singing. The album also features collaborations with other musicians, including Toumani Diabaté, who adds his virtuoso kora playing to the mix. The result is a rich and layered sound that is both soothing and invigorating. One of the things that stands out about "Savane" is its authenticity. Touré was deeply connected to his Malian roots, and his music reflects that connection. The album feels like a genuine expression of his identity and culture, rather than a watered-down version of African music tailored to Western audiences. Overall, "Savane" is a wonderful album that is both musically and culturally rich. It's a great introduction to West African music for those who are new to the genre and a must-listen for anyone who appreciates the beauty and power of African music.

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

Låter afrikanskt!

It's alright in places, like Soya and Machengoidi are nice to listen to, and listening to anything blues-influenced is usually decent, but this mostly misses the spot for me.

Dinner party / background music for me, Clive. It's not unpleasant to listen to, but it's pretty stripped back to focus on the vocals - the singing is fine but unremarkable, and other than the odd phrase in French I can get, I don't understand them. Makes this album very difficult to appreciate for me, I think. 2/5.

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

Very interesting, the mix of traditional blues with some local styles and instruments is good. Don't know that it would be a repeat listen for me, but I like it

For the most part this album just consists of some standard typical African music, although there are moments when some brilliance comes shining through, especially in the guitar parts. There are 2 beautiful songs, Savane which the album is named after, and then there's Banga which sounds really hypnotic. The rest of the album is okay but not great.

I really wish I liked albums like this more than I do, but it is really difficult to relate to them, especially when it's the blues. I loved the instrumentation on N'jarou, though, so that's my favorite track

I listened and learned.

Ich krieg von diesen arabischen zwischentönen schnell zu viel. Dann noch französisch dazu ist nix für mich

Musikalisch leider gar net meins, aber krasse Geschichte hinter dem Künstler und dem Album...

Great listening, really like this!

Bel mood, ma poco altro.

Not really my jam, but I get it. 2-3 stars, some interesting sounds and no reason to turn off the album but also wouldn't seek it out.

This was alright listening for what I was doing. 3*

Yep liked this. I'm not sure it is the best AFT but it was not one I'd heard before and I like it. I'm going to give it a 3 but I may listen to it more and revise that....

Wow. That sucked about as much as something can suck. Never again.

3.8 - West African blues twang tinged with Arabic melodies and motifs. A deep groove that sustains the almost full hour.

Interesting but not really my thing.

Interesting album but I didn’t really enjoy it. It felt like background music to whatever I was currently doing.

Nice guitar performance, but overall to similar across the entire album for my taste

Solid but nothing caught my ear. I kept wanting this to turn into Buena Vista Social Club.

The title track sounds like the riff from Child in Time, but on a Reggae beat! Penda Yoro is a blues jam, with a polyrhthm. Totally danceable. This was a very pleasant surprise.

I vibed hard to this

Beautiful desert blues

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

Some lovely chilled bluesy Malian vibes

Really not my thing. Musically accomplished, but just doesn’t float my boat.

Meh

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.

Dit is m

Cool discovery.

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