Tinariwen
Helen bought me a couple of CDs to rip onto the new Creative mp3 player - a CD by Angelique Kidjo with Malaika on, and another by Tinariwen. I’d seen them perform on the tv recording of the Roll Back Malaria concert, held in Senegal.
They stood out that night amongst the other performers; I didn’t know Malaika was a traditional Swahili song, didn’t know Kidjo’s reputation, didn’t know about the peculiar background of Tinariwen, didn’t know what to expect.
Angelique Kidjo’s voice is as good as I thought it was that night. Reminds me in a way of Amalia Rodrigues singing Fado. Tinariwen’s stuff is an odd mixture of North African and Mississippi Blues; must try and find out more about Arabic music.
