VIEUX FARKA TOURE

Vieux Farka Touré, the son of the great Malian guitarist Ali Farka Touré, has already stepped out from his late father’s shadow. Ali Farka Touré proved – in case anyone ever doubted it – that the soul of the blues could be found in West Africa. His son Vieux is turning heads with a more radical idea: that those western Saharan roots can be heard in everything from the jam band scene to Jamaican dub. 

Fondo, Vieux’s newest effort and his Six Degrees debut, is more than a stirring mix of traditional instruments and modern production. More than a world music artist embracing the sounds of rock, it is the sound of a young man coming into his own. His self-titled debut, released in 2006, seemed to be the passing of a torch, as it included the last recordings by his legendary father, and a healthy dose of traditional Malian songs from his father’s repertoire.   But his new album has only one traditional song; everything else was written by Vieux himself. The album’s opening salvo, “Fafa,” has a bluesy rhythm and intricate guitar solos that may recall Eric Clapton’s glory days with Cream.

In fact, Fondo showcases Vieux’s guitar playing in several different musical settings. He has mastered the short, stinging phrases of hisfather, but he reels off some extended guitar jams as well. The song “Mali” is a tribute to the Farka Touré homeland, elegant and restrained but joyful as well, with Vieux’s guitar soaring over a catchy, repeating riff. The funky, syncopated “Ai Haira” suggests a highly caffeinated version of reggae, with its talking drum solo and jammy guitar. And “Sarama,” despite using acoustic percussion, has more than a hint of drum’n’bass; the song also pairs a fast, hypnotic bass line in the style of Moroccan Gnawa music with classic call-and-response vocals, all driven by a gradual buildup of heavy rock drumming. Not bad for a 5-minute song. 

Vieux Farka Touré’s career in music would never have happened, if his illustrious parent had his way. Ali felt that the music business was a harsh place to work. But young Vieux found a mentor in Toumani Diabate, and his own guitar skills eventually convinced the elder Farka Touré that a second generation of family musicians was inevitable. This is music from a contemporary Africa – urban, sophisticated, globally connected but deeply proud of its ancient heritage.   This is the old/new Africa that Vieux represents.  Fondo is the music of an Africa that rocks, and yet still hears the camel’s tread in the sand.