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Death of Ali Farka Touré

Malian singer dies at 67 following a long illness


Paris 

07/03/2006 - 

Ali Farka Touré (real name Ali Ibrahim Touré) was an imposing figure in the world of African and world music. Winning global renown during a career that spanned more than 30 years, the Malian musician always melded his passion for music with his love for a homeland.

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As a teenager, he attended a concert by Guinean Fodeba Keita. It was a true revelation for him, and set him off on the path of a musical career. He taught himself music and over a number of years alternated his various musical experiences with various odd jobs. He learned numerous instruments, including the guitar, accordion and percussion, and also started composing his own material. He started off as a professional music in the early sixties, playing with local groups.

At the age of 30, Ali Farka Touré left Africa for the first time. He discovered black American music, in particular John Lee Hooker's blues, which convinced him of an ancestral link between the blues and the music of his own northern Mali.

He played with the Radio Mali orchestra, then released his first album Farka in 1976, which was a huge success in his own country and opened the way for success in France. His international career really took off in 1987, when he played to 18,000 people at Wembley in London and then went on a tour of Europe, the United States and Japan. It was the high tide of what became known as "World Music", and Ali Farka Touré succeeded in becoming one of the most highly respected African artists. He consolidated his fame in the 1990s with the release of his 1991 album The Source, and with his collaborations with the likes of John Lee Hooker and Ry Cooder. He paid homage to his country's musical heritage with the album Radio Mali in 1996, then announced his retirement the following year, devoting himself to his native country and to farming. Nonetheless, he continued to collaborate with other artists up until 2005, with the release of In the heart of moon, a duet with his compatriot Toumani Diabaté. The album won a Grammy Award in February, 2006.

Gilles  Seydoux

Translation : Julie  Street