Ai Du | Ali Farka Touré

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Lyrics (Translated):

"Trust and faith in your fellow man has no equal.
If you have experienced trust you will know its strength.

You must know yourself before you know others."

Artist: Ali Farka Touré (October 31, 1939 – March 7, 2006)

Song: Ai Du

I lived through a mellow high, as if sipping fine wine that lingers in your mouth leaving a burst of flavours that tells a story of its origin. This fine Malian musical piece by Ali Farka Toure starts pouring into a rhythm while it tries to catch up with the beats that tenderly start picking on the strings. I’m sitting with my eyes closed and imagining the guitar doing a waltz with the beats. I slowly forget what I was thinking briefly before being hit by this beautiful rendition and the guitar almost preparing me for some light blues. Just when the beats got me accustomed, Toure pitches in with words far from my understanding yet manages to capture every speck of my attention. The haunting appeal of his voice and the violin trails across and introduces me to a Malian verve very new to me.

The first sip rich in Malian flavours being nudged by the subtle blues and the beats keeping me high. The coarseness of the vocals adding the depth that I just don’t want to let go. Toure pulls me down and leaves me floating back in space. Just when I realize he’s playing with my longing for the flavour to return, he comes back to flirt with the melodies of Mali again. The wanton camaraderie of Malian rythm and the blues bearing a melancholy strain while I feel an unbearable lightness. A mere seven minutes that could explain humanity beyond language. Just emotions. Pure music. 

About The Artist: 

Ali Ibrahim “Farka” Touré (October 31, 1939 – March 7, 2006) was a Malian singer and guitarist, and an internationally renowned musician. His music represents an effortless blend of traditional Malian music and the blues. Touré was ranked number 76 on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”

Some other pieces worth listening to:

Collaborations with Ry Cooder:

• Soukoura
• Diaraby

Albums:

• The River
• Savane