Niafunke

Amazon.com
Ali Farka Toure's first album since his 1994 collaboration with Ry Cooder, Talking Timbuktu, makes a convincing argument for the adage that home is where the art is. Recorded in an abandoned brick edifice located between Toure's extensive rice fields and the Sahara-bordering village of Niafunké, Mali, this is the guitarist's most purely African album yet. Local percussionists, a sensuous village chorus, and a lonely one-stringed njarka violin accompany Toure here, replacing the Western guests who've tended to stilt his prior records. More relaxed and less gratuitously ornamental than before (especially when he plays acoustically), Toure digs deeply into spare, loping pentatonic grooves that extend beyond the usual John Lee Hooker blues comparisons into territory older, richer, and more folkloric (and Islamic) than earlier records have approached. --Richard Gehr

Tracks:

Ali's Here
Allah Uya
Mali Dje
Saukare
Hilly Yoro
Tulumba
Instrumental
ASCO
Jangali Famata
Howkouna.
Cousins
Pieter Botha

Amazon.com

Ali Farka Toure's first album since his 1994 collaboration with Ry Cooder, Talking Timbuktu, makes a convincing argument for the adage that home is where the art is. Recorded in an abandoned brick edifice located between Toure's extensive rice fields and the Sahara-bordering village of Niafunké, Mali, this is the guitarist's most purely African album yet. Local percussionists, a sensuous village chorus, and a lonely one-stringed njarka violin accompany Toure here, replacing the Western guests who've tended to stilt his prior records. More relaxed and less gratuitously ornamental than before (especially when he plays acoustically), Toure digs deeply into spare, loping pentatonic grooves that extend beyond the usual John Lee Hooker blues comparisons into territory older, richer, and more folkloric (and Islamic) than earlier records have approached. --Richard Gehr

Customer Reviews:

MORE AUTHENTIC LESS PRETENTIOUS.......2007-03-04

I LIKED TOURE'S ALBUM HE DID WITH RY COODER, IT IS VERY GOOD. BUT THIS ONE IS BETTER. IT IS MORE TRADITIONAL, AUTHENTIC, MALI'IAN MUSIC, MORE STRIPPED DOWN, RAW, AND TRUE TO WHO HE IS, THESE ARE HIS ROOTS. EXCELLENT CD.

Niafunke by Ali Farka Toure.......2007-02-19

Good music that represents the genre well. However, I actually liked "Talking to Timbuktu" better.

Unable to use in my slide show.......2006-07-13

I bought this cd specifically to use in my Mali-Burkina Faso slide show based on a recent trip. However, since there is something in the cd that prevents the slide show from playing the music on the cd. (??copy block software), I am unable to use it for this purpose. I have used other music cds in the past to enhance my slide shows without problems. This limitation should be made clear BEFORE the purchase is made since open cds are not returnable.

Discovering Ali.......2005-10-17

I was browsing the international section at the local book store, and I just bought niafunke only after hearing the first three songs. I then bought In the Heart of the Moon, which I have to say is equal to or better than niafunke, because of tumani. I have never wanted to try to emulate an artists sound when I make my own music, but after listening to Ali's music I have tried to capture his sound mixed with my own and have created my first song that has been majorly influenced by one artist. i highly recommend diverse international music. Ali Farka Toure is one you need to have.

Off the Hook.......2004-12-31

Ali's throwback to traditional Malian style was a good idea. This guy's guitar style is really cool and perfetly accompanies his tired sounding, yet energetic chanting. Standout tracks are 1,4,5,7, and 10.