Ali Farka Touré

**Ali Ibrahim "Ali Farka" Touré** (31 October 1939 – 6 March 2006) was a Malian singer and multi-instrumentalist, and one of the African continent's most internationally renowned musicians. His music blends traditional Malian music and its derivative, North American blues. Legendary Malian guitarist and best known exponent of Mali blues. Best known in the West for his work with Ry Cooder he was a winner of two Grammy awards for his Talking Timbuktu collaboration with Cooder and his 2005 release Heart Of The Moon with the kora player Toumani Diabaté. Mayor of his home town of Niafunké in Northern Mali on the edge of the Sahara, Touré also acted as a peacemaker in the Touareg rebellions of the mid 90s. He died after a long illness in March 2006, leaving a widow and 11 children.

## Links to Kershaw

In the mid-1980s, out of curiosity, the DJ Andy Kershaw picked up a record in a red sleeve from a bargain bin in a Parisian record store. When Kershaw played it at home *"there was one of those 'what the hell is this?' moments"* [1]. The record, called Red after the colour of the album sleeve, was by Ali Farka Toure. Once Kershaw began featuring it on his show, the reaction was extraordinary, *"It hit a nerve and the letters started pouring in from people wanting his records"*[2]

Kershaw also invited the singer to do a session, first broadcast in 1987, which was recorded in Kershaw's own kitchen in Crouch End. Follow up sessions were also broadcast on his shows. He also visited Mali and met the singer, who performed tracks which was broadcast as a radio documentary in 1989.

## Sessions

1. Recorded: 1987-09-17. First Broadcast: 24 September 1987. Repeated: 22 October 1987, 31 March 1988, 28 May 2006,

* Timbarma / Yulli / Kadi Kadi / Laleyche

2. Recorded in Andy's Kitchen: 1987-10-13. First Broadcast: unknown. Repeated: Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 10

* Yanna / Cherie / Kadi Kadi / Amandrai

3. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 02 July 1994

* unknown setlist

4. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 19 January 1998

* Sambadio / Ganda Koy / Mahimi Me / Afrique De Sud

5. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 10 February 2000

* Sambadio / Ganda Koy / Mahime Me / Cherie

6. Recorded at the Festival in the Desert, Mali, 2003. First Broadcast: 18 July 2003. Repeated: 13 June 2004

* Untitled / Improvisation / Kade Kade / Tangam Bara Soboye / Larana Hojoore

## Live

Recorded: Palais des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles at 2005-01-29. First Broadcast: 06 March 2005

1. Gomni
2. Debe
3. Amandrai

## Other Shows Played

   1986
* 10 April 1986: La Drogue (LP - Ali Farka Touré) Disques Espérance
* 24 April 1986: Timbindy (LP - Ali Farka Toure) Disques Espérance

1987
* 01 January 1987: Baliky Lalo (LP - Ali Farka Toure) Disques Espérance
* 28 May 1987: Baliky Lalo (LP - Ali Farka Touré) Disques Espérance
* 30 July 1987: Zona (LP - Ali Farka Toure) Disques Espérance

1989
* 05 January 1989 (& Hayra Arby): Patience *(recorded in a hotel)*

1991
* 23 June 1991: Gambari (album - Ali Toure "Farka") Sonafric
* 27 October 1991: Timbarma (LP - Ali Farka Touré) World Circuit
* 10 November 1991: Kadi Kadi (LP - Ali Farka Touré) World Circuit

1994
* 08 January 1994: Soukora (Bambara) (promo version)
* 08 January 1994: Gomni (Songhai) (promo version)
* 26 March 1994 (& Ry Cooder): Lasidan (CD - Talking Timbuktu) World Circuit
* 21 May 1994: Amandrai / Jungou (live)
* 28 May 1994 (& Ry Cooder): Keito (CD - Talking Timbuktu) World Circuit

1996
* 28 April 1996: Gambari (CD - Radio Mali) World Circuit
* 12 May 1996: Yer Mali Gakoyoyo (CD - Radio Mali) World Circuit
* 29 December 1996: Samaya (LP - Radio Mali) World Circuit

1997
* 10 November 1997: Tchigi Fo (CD - Ten Songs) World Circuit

1998
* 06 April 1998: Patience (CD single) African Music
* 27 April 1998: Patience (CD single) African Music
* 08 June 1998: Heygana (Compilation CD - African Blues) MW

1999
* 01 July 1999: Ali's Here (CD - Niafunke) World Circuit
* 08 July 1999: Allah Uya (CD - Niafunke) World Circuit

2003
* 17 January 2003: Song 1 / Kady Kady / Tangam Bara Soboye

2004
* 02 May 2004 (& Hayra Arby): Patience
* 04 July 2004: La Drogue (CD - Ali Farka Touré (Red Album)) Disques Espérance
* 10 October 2004: Laleïché (2xCD - Red&Green) World Circuit
* 14 November 2004: Chérie (2xCD - Red & Green) World Circuit
* 21 November 2004: N'Timbara (2xCD - Red & Green) World Circuit
* 28 November 2004: Laleïché (2xCD - Red & Green) World Circuit

2005
* 20 February 2005: Laisse Les Phases (2xCD - Red & Green) World Circuit
* 15 May 2005: Debe (CD - In The Heart Of The Moon) World Circuit
* 26 June 2005: Hawa Dolo (CD - In The Heart Of The Moon) World Circuit
* 07 August 2005: Kadi Kadi (CD - In The Heart Of The Moon) World Circuit

2006
* 12 March 2006: La Drogue (CD - Red & Green) World Circuit
* 12 March 2006: Kadi Kadi (CD - Ali Farka Toure) World Circuit
* 07 May 2006: Arsami (CD - Savane) World Circuit
* 21 May 2006: Banga (CD - Savane) World Circuit
* 18 June 2006: Soya (CD - Savane) World Circuit
* 09 July 2006: Penda Yoro (v/a 2xCD - World 2006) Rhino
* 10 September 2006: Soko Yhinka (CD - Savane) World Circuit

2007
* 12 March 2007: Kadi Kadi (album - In The Heart Of The Moon) World Circuit

2020
* Kershaw Tapes: Kadi Kadi (session)
* Kershaw Tapes: Patience (Timbuktu, Mali, December 1988)

2021
* More Kershaw Tapes: Hey Gena (December 1988, Mali)
* More Kershaw Tapes: Kadi Kadi (December 1988, Mali)

2023
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 21: Cherie (Feat. Oumou Sangare) (album - Voyageur) World Circuit

Footnotes
1. ↑ Ken Garner's In Session Tonight book states that it maybe was recorded in November 1987.

## External Links

* Wikipedia
* Discogs