Check out this rare live footage of Ali Farka Touré

Jan 8, 2015 at 4:12 pm

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The Malian guitarist Ali Farka Touré was often compared by Western writers in the 1980s and '90s to blues greats like John Lee Hooker or Mississippi Fred McDowell for his repetitive droning style and the hypnotic, bluesy heaviness of his work. Here in these two videos, he appears to be performing in London for ex-pats and cognoscenti alike in this professionally-shot spot . I am throwing part two up first because it has two amazing electric songs, "Lalayche" and "Hegana." The subtitles are nice, though a bit more camera time for the percussionist/ singer would be cool. It's hard to argue with the best footage of this musical genius, though.

The first bit (posted below) is super worth watching also! I really wish I'd seen him perform. Even his later, watered-down, Dad-friendly records made with the likes of Ry Cooder are great. His handful of African-recorded albums from the 1970s and '80s are as essential as they are difficult to obtain.

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About The Author

Mike McGonigal

Metro Times music editor Mike McGonigal has written about music since 1984, when he started the fanzine Chemical Imbalance at age sixteen with money saved from mowing lawns in Florida. He's since written for Spin, Pitchfork, the Village VOICE and Artforum. He's been a museum guard, a financial reporter, a bicycle...