Desert Blues in Oakland
The group Etran Finatawa is coming from Mali, West Africa for two shows at Yoshi’s in Oakland on Wednesday, July 21. If you’ve heard Tinariwen or the late, great Ali Farka Touré, you know how infectious this music can be. More info and tickets here.
Banning Eyre of Afropop Worldwide has a review of their recent album Tarkat Tajje (Let’s Go!) here:
The band formed in 2004, and this their 3rd release finds them at ease and in excellent form, and thoughtful. The song texts are rooted in local concerns—drought, deforestation, the education of children. But now, seeing themselves as ambassadors to the world, the songwriters try to apply their ideas on a global scale, addressing “those who are leading the world.” This is a music of tremendous sincerity and directness. Translated to words on a page, the songs may appear a little simplistic, even naïve. But experienced simply as sound and sentiment, they are clear, dry-eyed, and profoundly affecting.
See more music listings on the Bay Area African Music Calendar.