Vieux Farka Toure : NPR

Vieux Farka Touré performs live on Mountain Stage. Brian Blauser/Mountain Stage hide caption

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Brian Blauser/Mountain Stage

Mountain Stage

Vieux Farka Touré On Mountain Stage

December 17, 2013 • The son of the late, beloved Malian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ali Farka Touré, Vieux has become a massively prominent performer in his own right. Hear him perform with his band.

Vieux Farka Touré On Mountain Stage

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Watch A Supergroup From Mali Sing For Peace

Fatoumata Diawara and some of her musical collaborators on "Voices United for Mali" at a press conference held in Bamako, Mali on Jan. 17, 2013. Moustapha Diallo/courtesy of the artists hide caption

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Moustapha Diallo/courtesy of the artists

All Songs Considered

Watch A Supergroup From Mali Sing For Peace

January 18, 2013 • In a beautiful and powerful new song, Fatoumata Diawara, Amadou and Mariam, Oumou Sangare and nearly 40 more top musicians from Mali join together for one purpose: to help bring peace back to their shattering country.

Vieux Farka Toure: Acoustic At Bumbershoot

Vieux Farka Toure performs at the Bumbershoot Music Lounge. Dave Lichterman/See More Photos hide caption

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Dave Lichterman/See More Photos

Favorite Sessions

Vieux Farka Toure: Acoustic At Bumbershoot

KEXP

October 13, 2009 • As the son of legendary desert blues guitarist Ali Farka Toure, Vieux had big shoes to fill. But the younger performer has found his own voice, which builds on the traditions of his father while moving in a blues-rock direction. Hear an acoustic set recorded at KEXP's Bumbershoot Music Lounge.

Vieux Farka Toure At The Bumbershoot Music Lounge 9/7/09

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Review

Music Reviews

Rock 'N' Roll Goes To West Africa

June 30, 2009 • Rock 'n' roll owes its existence to its African roots, and the genre has in turn influenced contemporary African music. But the continent has not produced many bona fide rockers of its own — until now. Banning Eyre reviews two recent releases by Vieux Farka Toure and Justin Adams with Juldeh Camara.

Fulani Coochie Man

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First Listen

Exclusive First Listen: Vieux Farka Toure

May 19, 2009 • In 2006, Vieux Farka Toure released his self-titled debut album not long after the death of his father, the iconic Malian guitarist and singer Ali Farka Toure. It was an impressive opening to a career and a heartfelt passing of the torch. The long-awaited new album Fondo establishes young Vieux Farka Toure as a bona fide African guitar hero. Hear the album in its entirety.

Concerts

Finale: Blind Alfred Reed's Lament

July 23, 2008 • For the special taping of Mountain Stage in Bristol, Va./Tenn., musical guests Dierks Bentley, Vieux Farka Toure, Joe Ely, Kelly Willis and Roger Rasnake take on a local legend's most famous tune for their joint final number.

Listen Now: Brooke Miller On Mountain Stage

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Mountain Stage

Vieux Farka Toure: Of Bamako And Banjos

July 8, 2008 • The son of great Malian bluesman Ali Farka Toure grew up secretly learning to play the guitar. Now he has his own music and his own style. He performs with Mama Sissoko on ngoni, a West African ancestor of the banjo.

Listen Now: Vieux Farka Toure on Mountain Stage

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Music Lists

'All Songs': All Africa Edition

November 4, 2007 • Whether for political protest, celebration or sheer musical experimentation, African musicians continue to develop their native traditions. All Songs Considered presents some of the best African music out right now.

Review

Music Reviews

Ali Farka Toure's Son Carries Musical Torch

February 16, 2007 • The great African guitarist Ali Farka Toure discouraged his children from following him into the music business. But one of his sons secretly learned to play the guitar anyway. Now Vieux Farka Toure has released his first album.

Ali Farka Toure's Son Carries Musical Torch

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The Toure-Raichel Collective: 'Two Chefs In The Kitchen'

Idan Raichel (left) and Vieux Farka Toure's new collaborative album is The Tel-Aviv Session. Nitzan Treystman/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Nitzan Treystman/Courtesy of the artist

Music Interviews

The Toure-Raichel Collective: 'Two Chefs In The Kitchen'

April 15, 2012 • After a chance meeting acquainted Idan Raichel and Vieux Farka Toure, the pair collaborated on an album called The Tel Aviv Session, bringing together musical elements from each of their cultures.

The Toure-Raichel Collective: 'Two Chefs In The Kitchen'

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The Toure-Raichel Collective: A Collaboration By Accident

Vieux Farka Toure (left) and Idan Raichel, collaborating as The Toure-Raichel Collective, released The Tel-Aviv Session on March 26. Nitzan Treystman hide caption

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Nitzan Treystman

Review

Music Reviews

The Toure-Raichel Collective: A Collaboration By Accident

April 9, 2012 • A chance meeting in a German airport resulted in a CD collaboration between Israeli pop star Idan Raichel and Vieux Farka Toure, the guitarist from Mali. The result, The Tel Aviv Session, is magic.

The Toure-Raichel Collective: A Collaboration By Accident

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The African Jazz Pioneers kick it, South Africa style. Photo Illustration: Lars Gotrich; photos: Intuition Records, iStock. hide caption

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Photo Illustration: Lars Gotrich; photos: Intuition Records, iStock.

Take Five: By Region

Kick It Up With South African Jazz

90.5 WESA

June 15, 2010 • From June 11 to July 11, nine cities in South Africa are hosting the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The excitement has stretched from Johannesburg to Pretoria and the world over. In honor of the world coming together to celebrate soccer in the "rainbow nation," here's a chance to sample four South African jazz artists and one of the World Cup performers.

Vieux Farka Toure: African Blues, Reborn

Vieux Farka Toure's "Borei" has all the energy of classic African pop, paired with exuberant call-and-response vocals and blistering guitar solos. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Review

Song Of The Day

Vieux Farka Toure: African Blues, Reborn

June 28, 2011 • Vieux Farka Toure's "Borei" has all the energy of classic African pop, paired with exuberant call-and-response vocals and blistering guitar solos.

Secret

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Fighting Over Our Favorite Albums Of 2011 (So Far)

Calm down, Thom. The King of Limbs didn't make the cut for our 25 favorite albums of the year so far, but at least one of us still loves you. via YouTube hide caption

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via YouTube

Music Lists

Fighting Over Our Favorite Albums Of 2011 (So Far)

June 21, 2011 • When NPR Music made a list of its 25 favorite albums that came out in the first half of 2011, there were a bunch of great recordings that didn't make the cut. Half a dozen members of the team speak out on behalf of a few of them.

Review

All Songs Considered

Music You Should Love But Don't, Allen Toussaint, Vieux Farka Toure, More

May 26, 2009 • Is there music you know you should love, but for whatever reason just don't? For Bob Boilen, Green Day is one of those acts. Also on the show, Sunset Rubdown, Danger Mouse, Allen Toussaint and more.

Music You Should Love But Don't, Allen Toussaint, Vieux Farka Toure, More

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All Songs Considered

Bloc Party, Deerhoof, Giant Brain

February 1, 2007 • A sophomore release from Bloc Party; Introspective Scotsman James Yorkston; The Animal Collective's Panda Bear; San Francisco art rock trio Deerhoof; Ali Farka Toure's son Vieux Farka Toure and more.

Bloc Party, Deerhoof, Giant Brain

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