Although the story behind how Aliou Touré, Garba Touré, Oumar Touré and Nathaneal Dembélé became Songhoy Blues is not all roses — they were forced to fled to the capital Bamako after northern Mali was occupied by jihadists — their music is everything but sorrowful. A sold-out Roundhouse could not stop smiling to the mesmerising and joyous beats.
The kind of blues they play is colorful and cheerful, one you can dance along to — and vocalist Aliou Touré succeed in making everyone move by leading the crowd with his stunning dance moves. His enthusiasm is contagious; the stage his natural habitat.
However, from time to time Guitarist Garba Touré stole the scene with superlative Hendrix-like solos that left everyone astonished. Truth is, each member of the band is extremely talented and collectively they show their best when weaving together the sounds of each of their instruments.
The quartet performed as the last act of a longer show that took over the Roundhouse from 5 to 11pm. The night, billed Music in Exile, also featured performances by fellow Malians Blick Bassy, United Vibrations, Dave Okumu (The Invisible) and Fatoumata Diawara, the Ivory Coast-born Malian musician and actress, known for her sensuous high-pitched voice.
Fatoumata has remarkable energy. She sang, played, danced, and fired up the crowd before Songhoy took her place on stage. She returned later on, however, to help the boys perform their final song, in what turned out to be one of the best moments of the entire night.
That’s the power of music, as Aliou Touré stressed over and over during the exhibition: to bring people together in a joyous dance.
The joy and of harmony and collaboration… for her new single ‘Ambè’, Fatoumata Diawara brought together an exceptional all-star all-female group of musicians of African origin or descent for a one-off, non-commercial song available only on YouTube and social media. The tun was composed during the first lockdown when…
Artists: Fatoumata Diawara
Hard to believe that such a dire and dramatic year could inspire such an abundance of remarkable albums. Or maybe, on the contrary, the multitude of emotions sparked by the pandemic and our new life’s circumstances might have been the main reasons why musicians were able to write, record and…
Artists: AKKAN , Al Breadwinner , Bab L’Bluz , Chouk Bwa , Clap! Clap! , Derek Gripper , DUMA , Hugh Masekela , Khruangbin , Let Drum Beat , Nat Birchall , ONIPA , Santrofi , Son Rompe Pera , Songhoy Blues , Spoek Mathambo , The Ångströmers , The Sorcerers , Thundercat , Tony Alln![Album Review: Songhoy Blues – Optimisme [Transgressive Records; October 2020]](http://www.rhythmpassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/songhoy-blues-optimisme-cover-620x620.jpg)
Songhoy Blues stay true to form with bold third LP Optimisme – released via Transgressive Records. If there is one thing the world needs right now – not least the beleaguered music industry – it is hope. Desert Blues luminaries Songhoy Blues seek to deliver just that with their third…
Artists: Songhoy Blues
Shakespeare said it all with ‘If music be the food of love, play on’. Music is the blood that runs through the veins of our very best human experiences. Celebration. Expression. Dance. Evolution. Art. Intimacy. Communication. Due to COVID-19 restrictions we have no longer been able to congregate for performance…
Artists: Chico Trujillo , Fatoumata Diawara
There are some performers that we have the pleasure of seeing on stage who bewitch, beguile and bewilder with their exuberance, their talent and their sheer ability to put on a show. Fatoumata Diawara is one such artist. Born in Ivory Coast to Malian parents and now living in France,…
Artists: Fatoumata Diawara
At times, we are the first to lose track of how many exciting music events happen in London each month, so we have decided to offer you some sort of “public musical service”, meant for all the locals and passers-by, with the aim of suggesting where to listen to some…
Artists: 47SOUL , Chancha Via Circuito , Dead Prez , Imarhan , Jally Kebba Susso , Kampire , Kanda Bongo Man , Kikagaku Moyo , Kokoroko , Madalitso Band , Otim Alpha , Rapasa Nyatrapasa Otieno , S H I R A N , Sandman Project , Seckou Keita , Songhoy Blues , Steam Down , The Black Seeds , Thundercat
Friday The site was nicely spread out, but unlike mega festivals, walking from one side to another did not diminish too much energy or take too long. Unfortunately, the festival’s app didn’t want to show me the 2018 line-up – it instead rubbed in the fact that A Tribe Called…
Artists: Caravana Sun , Craig Charles , David Rodigan , David Rodigan and the Outlook Orchestra , Faithless , First Aid Kit , Gentleman's Dub Club , Grace Jones , Jimmy Cliff , L.A. Salami , M.I.A. , My Baby , Silk City , Songhoy Blues , The Cuban Brothers , Thundercat
It was another triumphant weekend at Walthamstow Garden Party. Sunbathing in glorious weather and indulging in radiant notes played by brilliant musicians, we enjoyed every minute of it. From its debut, basking in Saturday’s early afternoon heat with London African Gospel Choir and their rendition of Paul Simon’s Graceland, until Sunday…
Artists: Adrian Sherwood , Adrian Sherwood And Creation Rebel , Afro Cuban All Stars , Creation Rebels , Doña Onete , Fatoumata Diawara , Seun Kuti , Seun Kuti & Egypt 80
A one-off performance for a one-off event. It doesn’t happen too often that we get to enjoy a Fatoumata Diawara gig in London, but on the rare occasions when the Malian musician visits the British capital, her shows are always hard-to-forget experiences. That’s how it went on the 26th of…
Artists: Fatoumata Diawara
We’ve partnered with Groovalizacion Radio to bring you a monthly collection of the best world music-related videos. That’s our way to give value to too often overlooked, rich and diverse artistic expressions. Listen with your eyes! Watch the full playlist:
Artists: A Tribe Called Red , Akala , Alborosie , Amadou & Mariam , Bazza Ranks , Deemas J , Hoodna Orchestra , Ibeyi , Jago , Klik & Frik , Lianne La Havas , Little Dragon , Rashid , Resonators , Sibusile Xaba , Songhoy Blues , The Blaze
Back in 2013, the story of Songhoy Blues made the headlines. After being forced to move to Bamako by a jihadist group that banned music in northern Mali, Garba Touré founded the band “to recreate that lost ambience of the north and make all the refugees relive those northern songs”….
Artists: Songhoy Blues
If your music is strong enough to overcome religious fundamentalism and exile, how can a narrow-minded visa denial possibly harm it? That’s why Songhoy Blues, without their original bass player (who was stuck in Bamako because of an issue with his documents) performed a show to remember at Omeara. Introduced expertly,…
Artists: Songhoy Blues , Témé Tan
Songhoy Blues, the new Malian sensation, can no longer play in their native region because of the music ban imposed by jihadists back in 2012. Instead they have built an audience and reputation beyond Malian borders, becoming one of the most ambitious projects shaped on African soil. Their desert-rock/blues, which…
Artists: Blaenavon , Songhoy Blues
“Music In Exile” is available now http://smarturl.it/MusicInExile Directed & produced by Wes Teshome Cinematography by Josh McKie Songhoy Blues on the Web: https://www.facebook.com/SonghoyBlues https://twitter.com/songhoyblues https://instagram.com/songhoyblues/
Artists: Songhoy Blues
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