L’Orchestre National de Barbès (ONB) always brings its share of excitement as a band that was born on stage. Their first album was recorded live and remains their top selling to date. Their concert last month was their first performance in London since 2003. They didn’t disappoint, managing yet once again to galvanise their fans…
The London International Documentary Festival 2011 featured the première of Agadez: The Music and the Rebellion. Director Ron Wyman tells the story of the Touareg of the region of Agadez, northern Niger, focusing on the rise of local guitar-hero and newly internationally acclaimed artist, Omar Moctar “Bombino”. Making documentaries about the Touareg has become en…
Three years after the compilation Ishumar was released, the Touareg rockers are back on Ishumar 2. While the first part presented up-and-coming or internationally acclaimed artists, this release focuses on a segment of Touareg music still unknown to this day. The ishumars have been in the spotlight for the past thirty years. They appeared amid…
In September, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) abducted seven employees of French uranium giants Areva in northern Niger. An ongoing debate has been centred on the possible implication of the local Touareg, and the actual link between AQIM and al-Qaeda, which has yet to be precisely established. It was the ideal moment for Osama…
The Sahara Desert is of strategic interest to many governments, both African and Western. The geostrategic position of the region has made it a central point throughout history, but recent events have brought it under the negative spotlight of the media. The Sahara is back in the headlines following the kidnapping of seven employees of…
Victor Deme made a breakthrough in the international scene at 47 years of age – now he’s back with a second album, Deli. His debut was all the rage two years ago, so no need to change the formula. Patience is the greatest of virtues. An adage which Victor Deme must appreciate the full significance….
When Rissa Ag Wanaghli, former member of the Nigerian music act Takrist N’Akal, meets Plume, a prominent figure in French music, what outcome can be expected? The answer lies in Atri N’Assouf, “the Star of the Desert”, a young group that has just self-produced its debut album, Akal. Here’s a brief presentation of a band…