Pop & Hiss
The L.A. Times music blog

Coachella preview: Tinariwen
11:26 AM PT, Apr 13 2009

Pop & Hiss will be covering the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., from April 17 to 19. There are more than 120 acts on the bill, and in the days leading up to the festival, we'll be selecting some of the best bets -- some on the radar, some flying below.

Who: Tinariwen

Why this African ensemble is your ticket to the real desert vibe: Let's face it. Coachella doesn't really feel like the desert. With green grass underfoot and giant beverages a mere five-to-10 bucks away, the fest is really more of a resort experience. Tinariwen's music, however, is made of dirty wind and hallucinatory heat. For two decades, the group has represented for the "ishumaren" -- itinerant Tuareg people of the Sahara who've encountered modernity as mercenaries, political rebels and reluctant city dwellers hearing rock on the radio that reminded them of the native music of the sands.

Now a world-music institution, Tinariwen is renowned for its trance-inducing live sets, featuring great ensemble playing and the serene shredding of the band's leader, Ibrahim Ag Al Habib. (link)

Music of Saharan Africa: Tinariwen plays SFJAZZ
April 13, 11:47 PM

It seems like music is literally bursting out of Mali onto American soil these days with Rokia Traore, Habib Koite and now Tinariwen. The music is all inspiring, but Tinariwen is also politically and historically important. This year, the San Francisco Jazz Festival brings the Bay Area a wide range of music, including the Saharan blues of Tinariwen.

Having formed over two decades ago, Tinariwen represents the Touareg, a nomadic people of the Sahara, and their struggle for freedom from the Malian government. These Ancient melodies are fused with modern blues, rock'n'roll, Berber and Arabic genres. This music is born out of war, ethnic cleansing and exile of post-colonial Africa. After the political lyrics were banned by Mali and Algeria, Tinariwen was forced to play underground until moving to the Malian capitol Bamako in the late 90s. There the ten members of the band became musical revolutionaries, playing music called Tishoumaren, "music of the unemployed" or simply "guitar."

I guarantee this music, despite its serious roots, will bring the audience to their dancing feet. - Jamie Freedman (link)