83 f Djinnius Of The River
From November 1992. Ali Farka Touré promised to have retired by now, but he's still full of spirits. Lucy Duran hears why.
Tamaschek blues, djinns are bothering me…” Master guitarist and legendary blues singer from Niafunké in northern Mali, Ali is living proof of the Malian roots of the Blues. And in spite of his repeated threats to retire altogether from music, he was back for another European concert tour promoting his third album with World Circuit, The Source. His links with Malian folklore are stronger than ever, and there’s a spirit in the music that could well be the djinns.
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In Mali, there must be more djinns – invisible presences or spirits that can either help or bewitch you – per head than any- where else. Especially if you live in the part of Mali that Ali Farka Touré comes from, in the semi-desert region of Timbuktu, up where the Niger river begins its long, wide bend through the Sahel before heading southwards to Nigeria. In this harsh but beautiful landscape, with its endless, shim- mering, golden horizons, the djinns flit about freely. Ali is Sonray (also spelt Song- hay); these are the people who took over from the Manding to rule one of West Africa’s most powerful empires from 1460 until 1591, when they were invaded by Moroccans. The Sonray are famous above all for their sorcery. If you’re in the land of the Sonray – or if you’re hanging out with Ali – don’t mess with the djinns.
There are moments in The Source – especially during the beautiful opening tracks, Goye Kur and Inchana Massina – where you can almost hear the djinns buzzing around you. This latest album has an even more traditional atmosphere than Ali’s previous British releases. It’s based on the music of four of the ethnic groups that live around Niafunké – the Sonray, the Tamaschek, the Fulani (Peul) and the Dogon. Ali on electric and acoustic guitar and vocals leads his group Asko – consist- ing of three other musicians from Nia- funké, providing additional vocals and conga and calabash percussion, plus “hon- orary Asko members” – guest musicians including Taj Mahal and Rory McLeod. The songs are cool, rocking, and clear, but once the guitars and calabash get going with
those loping rhythms, there’s an underly- ing and utterly hypnotic wildness that reminds you of the best Delta blues.
Have the djinns made a pact with Ali?
Maybe that’s why his presence is so power- ful, his music so mesmerising. And how else to account for the fact that he doesn’t seem to age? His charm and majestic looks are still all there, fresh and strong as a Niger palm: tall, upright, with a smile that could knock you dead. Ali’s magnetism is almost too much to bear and it’s in full force on the new album.
It was early July and Ali was in Eng- land for just a few days. Things were buzzing in the World Circuit office. Nick
Gold, Ali’s record producer, had received an unexpected phone call earlier that week. It was Ry Cooder! He had flown into London exclusively to meet Ali – “the best thing to come out of my European tour” said Cooder afterwards.
Ali’s nephew, one of the Asko group, videotaped a few minutes of the meeting at Nick Gold’s flat in north London. Ali showed me this treasured document: the two guitar giants are beaming at each other across a large coffee table piled high with mugs and brimming ashtrays. Ry Cooder talks of a possible recording – maybe to take place in none other than Niafunke and include John Lee Hooker, Ali’s idol of many years.
he line that sprung to mind as I headed out into a warm but rainy north London morning after saying goodbye to Ali Farka Touré was “I’ve got the
Photo: Dave Peabody
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