November 25, 2007 -- THE AMAZING STORY behind Tinariwen's songs wouldn't mean anything if the music wasn't good. But it was the group's sound that first struck me - an unusual blend of electrified West African guitars, North African percussion and rock adorned with enchanting melodies that weave their way through dance-worthy polyrhythms.
That was two years ago, when I heard Tinariwen's second CD release, "Amassakoul." Then I found out that most of the band, which formed 18 years ago, had been Tuareg freedom fighters in an army organized into an army by Moammar Khadafy in the Libyan desert.
While their compatriots clashed with government forces in Nigeria and Mali, the musicians in Tinariwen were tapped to write songs about the struggle. Their cassette recordings, filled with tales of exile, culture and conflict were passed along, inspiring their nomadic Tuareg brethren.
When the fighters signed peace treaties in the mid-'90s, Tinariwen set out to become full-time musicians, while continuing to advocate for independence. Since then, they've turned Robert Plant and Carlos Santana into fans, played a command performance for the Rolling Stones, become the main draw at Mali's annual Festival in the Desert and inspired Radiohead's Thom Yorke, who copped some of their riffs for his first solo album.
Now the group has issued a new album, "Aman Iman," and will play the Highline Ballroom on Tuesday. It's a rare chance to hear a band that embodies both the spiritual and political aspirations of an entire people. You don't have to know the backstory to appreciate Tinariwen's hypnotic groove, but once you do, somehow it's even better.
11/25/07 >> 
