Have Guitar, Will Travel

Mdou Moctar is one of a number of Tuareg artists and bands that have brought Saharan music loudly into the 21st century. There's a new album, Funeral For Justice, on its way next month, preceded by the single Imouhar, which roughly translates as 'brother' or 'comrade' and is a familial way to say 'Tuareg people'. 

 

Mdou Moctar is both the person - left-handed guitar shredder and singer Mahamadou Souleymane - and the band - Ahmoudou Madassane (rhythm guitar) and Souleymane Ibrahim (drums). There's a fourth member, NYC resident Mikey Coltun, who provides bass, has produced their more recent records and toured with them extensively. You just won't see him in the video.

Mdou Moctar has been described as "A once-in-a-generation artist backed by an unstoppable rhythm section, Mdou’s music has roots in both traditional Tuareg melodicism and Eddie Van Halen’s daredevil majesty", which is a pretty fair summary.

 

I was vaguely aware of the band and music going into 2020; the song Tarhatazed appeared on Mojo magazine's Heavy Soul Vol. 2: Mojo Presents 15 Hits Of Psychedelic Funk, Black Rock And Cosmic Slop... cover mount CD, for one.

 

However, it was the COVID lockdown, investing more time in engaging with the music blog community and buying more digital music, especially via Bandcamp, that really kickstarted my interest in the Saharan music artists. 

 

A special mention to Ernie Goggins of 27 Leggies fame, who pointed me in the direction of Sahel Sounds and their fantastic roster of artists. Every Bandcamp Friday since 2020, the label has made their entire digital catalogue available as a 'name your price' option, though this also applies to their impressive series of compilations all year round. 

Mdou Moctar appeared on several of these Sahel Sounds collections and inevitably grabbed my attention and I made the leap to buying a full album, 2019's Ilana: The Creator. 

Mdou Moctar crossed over big time, snapped up by Matador Records for 2021's Afrique Victime album and last year's Niger EP, the latter split into two 6-song releases. If Imouhar is anything to go by, Funeral For Justice will be another satisfying record. Here's the opening title track if you need further convincing.

 

The terms of the Matador deal appear to have resulted in Mdou Moctar's contributions being excised from the aforementioned Sahel Sounds compilations, but I'd still urge you to bookmark the link, sample the vast array of artists and music and prepare to fall deep, as I did. 

Funeral For Justice is out on 3rd May.

Give Our Ears A Rest

The title is a line from the Amadou & Mariam song Wily Kataso featuring in today's selection. Usually meant as a request to shut up (as in the context of the song), I'm instead claiming it as a celebratory balm for the next 75 minutes.

 

Sixteen songs designed to relax, uplift and take you beyond the day-to-day noise before bringing you gently back down to earth. Half a dozen are lifted from the ever-dependable Sahel Sounds label, others from Real World, Nation Records and Honest Jon's Records.

Some artists - Etran De L'Aïr, Mdou Moctar, Songhoy Blues, Transglobal Underground - are regulars here. Others - Ali Farka Touré, Oumou Sangaré, Amadou & Mariam - are surprisingly (to me, at least) making their first appearance on this blog. 

 

This selection is dedicated to beautiful soul and inspiration Sheila Chandra, who provides the closing song.

1) Paisano: Nkumba System ft. Mamani Keita (2020)

2) Adounia: Etran De L'Aïr (2022)

3) Niger: Mali Music (Damon Albarn, Afel Bocoum, Toumani Diabaté & Friends) (2002)

4) Eliss Wan Anas Douban: Les Filles De Illighadad (2016)

5) Gomni (Live) (Cover of Ali Farka Touré & Ry Cooder): Songhoy Blues (2013)

6) Anar: Mdou Moctar (2013)

7) Wily Kataso (Radio Edit): Amadou & Mariam ft. Tunde Adebimpe & Kyp Malone (2012)

8) My Heart, My Life (Album Version): Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan & Michael Brook (1996)

9) Tromba Marina: Transglobal Underground (1994)

10) No Waiting: Les Frères Smith ft. Seun Kuti (2020)

11) Sukunyali: Oumou Sangaré (2009)

12) Jarabi: Wau Wau Collectif (2022)

13) Moribiyassa: Kaba Blon (2011)

14) Penda Yoro: Ali Farka Touré (2006)

15) Kayraba: Amadou Binta Konté & Tidiane Thiam (2014)

16) Om Namaha Shiva: Sheila Chandra (1992)

1992: Weaving My Ancestors' Voices: 16

1994: International Times: 9

1996: Night Song: 8

2002: Mali Music: 3

2006: Savane: 14

2009: Seya: 11 

2011: Music From Saharan Cellphones: 13

2012: Wily Kataso EP: 7

2013: Music From Saharan Cellphones: Volume 2: 6

2013: Songhoy Blues Live (bootleg): 5 

2014: Anar: 6

2016: Les Filles De Illighadad: 4

2017: Waande Kadde: 15

2020: Bailalo Duro: 1

2020: Mutation: 10

2022: Agadez: 2

2022: Mariage: 12

Give Our Ears A Rest (1:14:41) (KF) (Mega)

Sahel Sounds Sunday

On 27th November 2022, I proclaimed "Yes, it's Sahel Sounds Sunday. No, it's not the start of a series."

Unless you're going to hold me to a 148 day gap between posts then I think this is still true, though yes, it is Sunday and yes, it's a long overdue return to a Sahel Sounds selection.

 

Ten songs and just under three quarters of an hour of music culled from the increasing number of compilations and albums that I've been picking up most Bandcamp Fridays. 

 

As ever, an eclectic selection of sounds. According to Iffypedia, "Takamba is a music and dance native to the Songhai and Tuareg peoples of Niger and Mali. It is both a musical composition and a dance [...] The Takamba dance includes graceful and rhythmic movements performed both seated and standing where the shoulders and arms sway with the flow of the music." What more could you want?

 

Well, how about an individual take on Hey Joe, first recorded by The Leaves in 1965 then covered and completely owned by The Jimi Hendrix Experience when released as their debut the following year? You get the impression that Azna De L'Ader's frontperson Mona doesn't know the words but frankly who cares? This is an archival undated live performance from the band, who had been around for over four decades before their first recordings were released in 2016.

2015's compilation Uchronia: Field Recordings From Alternate Realities is another winner. Sadly, none of the musical performances are credited to the artists as there are some intriguing pieces, a couple of which I've featured here. Takamba With Modular Synth, immediately follows on from Mdou Moctar's more 'rock'-based interpretation and then flows into Torodi by Hama, whose opening moments could almost be Brian Auger. 

Whatever you're doing today can only be enhanced by time in the company of these artists and their music.

 

1) Aicha: Bayta Ag Bay (2011)

2) Hey Joe (Cover of The Leaves): Azna De L'Ader (2017)

3) Zinezju Meghdem: Abba Gargando (2010)

4) Agrim Agadez: Etran De L'Aïr (2017)

5) Takamba: Mdou Moctar (2019)

6) Takamba With Modular Synth: unknown artist (2015)

7) Torodi: Hama (2019)

8) Balani Compositions, Rhythm Box: unknown artist (2015)

9) Tinariwen: Group Anmataff (2011)

10) Toumast: Ahmoudou Madassane (2021)

 

2010: Ishilan n-Tenere: 3

2011: Music From Saharan Cellphones: 1, 9

2015: Uchronia: Field Recordings From Alternate Realities: 6, 8

2017: Agrim Agadez: 2, 4

2019: Ilana: The Creator: 5

2019: Sahel Sounds Label Sampler: 7

2021: Sahel Sounds Label Sampler 3: 10

 

Sahel Sounds Sunday (44:32) (Box) (Mega)

Get With The Groove

The combination of January, winter, Monday, lousy weather and another working week leaving and returning to home in pitch darkness combine to flip me into a funk. I'm talking funk here in the sense of Leonard Cohen, not George Clinton.

So, what better way to banish the blues than to light the place up with some global grooves, taking in Niger, Spain, Malawi, England, Mauritania, Mali, Jamaica and the USA?

 

Several of these have come from compilations by Sahel Sounds (USA), NYP Records (Belgium) and Dub Store Records (Japan), available as a name your price purchase via Bandcamp. All highly recommended.

I prescribe 45 minutes per day, taken with water and plenty of (dance-based) exercise. You'll feel much better for it.

 

1) Tunan: Mamman Sani (1978)

2) O.D.O.O. (F.E.L.A. Tribute Rework): DJ Makala (2012)

3) Tumastin: Mdou Moctar (2019)

4) Tadekha (Too Young To Start It): Andy One (2020)

5) Nyash! E Go Bite You!: Yaaba Funk (2008)

6) Elyn: Jeich Ould Badu (2022)

7) 3: Tallawit Timbouctou (2020)

8) Cry (Disco Mix By Prince Fatty): Hollie Cook ft. Horseman (2011)

9) Dangerous System (Single Version By King Jammy): Pad Anthony (1986)

10) Ribes: The Bombillas (2020)

11) Majrad Ajen: Amanar (2010)

2010: Ishilan n-Tenere: 11

2011: Hollie Cook: 8

2013: La Musique Electronique Du Niger: 1

2014: Dub Store Records Sampler Volume One: 9

2019: Ilana: The Creator: 3

2020: Sahel Sounds Label Sampler 2: 7

2021: Global Riddims Volume 4: 4, 10

2021: Mukambo Presents Global Afrobeat Movement 2: 2, 5

2022: Music From Saharan WhatsApp: 6

 

Get With The Groove (45:09) (Box) (Mega)

Sahel Sounds Souvenir

Yes, it's Sahel Sounds Sunday. No, it's not the start of a series.

November was the first Bandcamp Friday in a long time that I didn't buy anything from Sahel Sounds, more a case of blowing my budget on other music, rather than the well running dry. I'd previously been focusing on catching up with the vast number of Sahel Sounds compilations that have been made available over the years. 

 

However, in October, I did buy a trio of artist albums by Mamman Sani Abdoulaye, Les Filles De Illighadad and Mdou Moctar. The former was a recommendation by The Swede (thank you!) and dates from 1978, sounding like something that would have come from Sheffield via The Human League or Cabaret Voltaire, rather than Niamey, Niger. Hama, hailing from the same capital city, is a natural successor, with an Eighties sound to match anything Jan Hammer and Harold Faltermeyer could put on a TV or movie soundtrack.

I've greatly enjoyed the Les Filles De Illighadad and Mdou Moctar albums and the remaining selection here continues to highlight artists that I want to explore further. And of course, it would be remiss of me not to include King Ayisoba (albeit here in a guest appearance with Atamina) as a thank you to Ernie at 27 Leggies. 

 

If you enjoy this and missed my previous Sahel Sounds selection, you can find it here.

 

1) Hey Malale: Andal Sukabe (2022)

2) Lidda: Mamman Sani (1978)

3) Afashee: Prince Buju (2015)

4) Ahiyana: Idassane Wallet Mohamed (2008)

5) Erilegh Ifanata: Les Filles De Illighadad (2016)

6) Home Witches: Asaa Naho (2016)

7) Ndougou: Fagaru Evolution (2010)

8) Terroir: Hama (2019)

9) Kamane Tarhanin: Mdou Moctar (2019)

10) Africa Problem: Atamina ft. King Ayisoba (2016)

11) Souvenir Nam Adjosa: Koudédé (2006)

2010: Ishilan n-Tenere: 7

2013: La Musique Electronique Du Niger: 2

2013: Music From Saharan Cellphones: Volume 2: 11

2016: Les Filles De Illighadad: 5

2016: This is Kologo Power!: 3, 6

2019: Ilana: The Creator: 9

2020: Sahel Sounds Label Sampler 2: 4, 8, 10

2022: Music From Saharan WhatsApp: 1

Sahel Sounds Souvenir (46:12) (Box) (Mega)

Africa Needs Africa

Today's Sahel Sounds selection would not exist but for three things:

 

1) the Covid pandemic and subsequent lockdown in 2020;

2) the introduction of Bandcamp Friday; and

3) the rather wonderful 27 Leggies music blog.

Actually, there's a fourth: Sahel Sounds itself would not exist had Christopher Kirkley not been inspired to start a blog in 2009, then a record label before evolving and expanding further to encompass an artist collective, film production house and arts organisation.

 

But, for me, it all kicked off in 2020 with being at home, trying to work (a story in itself) and not annoy Clan K (another story in itself), whilst attempting to preserve my sanity. The blogosphere was incredibly important to the latter. I began to expand my reading and start to engage a bit more with comments and contributions before going full on with this blog by the end of the year.

Along the way, I was - and continue to be - introduced to music from all over the world that I would never have discovered otherwise. Case in point, the Sahel Sounds label, based in Portland, Oregon and promoting music and artists from (deep breath for Wikipedia quote) "northern Senegal, southern Mauritania, central Mali, northern Burkina Faso, the extreme south of Algeria, Niger, the extreme north of Nigeria, Cameroon and Central African Republic, central Chad, central and southern Sudan, the extreme north of South Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia".

 

Of course Ernie, the creator of 27 Leggies, was onto Sahel Sounds several years before, but this Johnny Come Lately picked up on it in the early weeks of the UK lockdown in March 2020 when Ernie highlighted the Bandcamp Friday promotion. 

Since then, I've been getting one of the Sahel Sounds 'name your price' compilations pretty much every other Bandcamp Friday. After taking a break earlier year, the promotion started again last Friday (2nd Sep) and I bought Music From Saharan WhatsApp, released in June. I've a few more to get - Field Recordings From The Sahel and Gao Rap: Hip Hop From Northern Mali, to name two - but with nearly a hundred songs amassed so far, I figured a Dubhed selection was (over)due. 

 

Before I started following Ernie's recommendations on 27 Leggies and then buying the compilations, I'd only heard of one artist on the Sahel Sounds roster, Mdou Moctar. I'm very glad that I've had the opportunity to delve more into his catalogue and also open my mind and ears to the diverse and exciting sounds coming from the Sahel. 

 

Bandcamp Friday will continue for at least the rest of 2022 and I'll be moving onto buying individual artist albums. My bank balance will hate me, my musical brain will love me. Love always wins.

 

Today's title is the name of a 2017 song by King Ayisoba featuring Wanlov The Kubolor & Big Gad. It's not featured on the Sahel Sounds compilations I own, but I've included the video for your viewing and listening pleasure.

 

This one's for Ernie, with heartfelt thanks for the continuing education and entertainment at 27 Leggies.

 

1) Bahouche: Amaria Hamadalher

2) N'Dianguene Demngal Men: Tidiane Thiam

3) Elyn: Jeich Ould Badu

4) Inigradan: Les Filles De Illighadad

5) Waihidjo: Pheno S.

6) Akokass: Abdallah Ag Oumbadougou

7) Girma Girma: Fati Niger

8) Inizgam: Mdou Moctar

9) Taliat: Intriya Ag Babo

10) Iban Mano D'Ikhya: Etran De L'Aïr

11) Africa: King Ayisoba

12) Abandé: Yeli Fuzzo

2010: Ishilan n-Tenere: 9 

2011: Music From Saharan Cellphones: 12

2013: Music From Saharan Cellphones: Volume II: 5 

2016: This is Kologo Power!: 11

2017: Agrim Agadez: 1, 10

2019: Sahel Sounds Label Sampler: 4, 8

2020: Sahel Sounds Label Sampler II: 7

2021: Sahel Sounds Label Sampler III: 2, 6

2022: Music From Saharan WhatsApp: 3

 

Africa Needs Africa (46:08) (Box) (Mega)