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Concert Review : Notes on Notes: The Robe and the Hat
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Tufts Observer, Concert Review : Notes on Notes: The Robe and the Hat >>
By: John DeCarli
“Notes on Notes” is a bi-weekly column of musings on music, both old and new.
One of my favorite things about music is mapping its change over time. Viewing the complete history of a particular artist’s career or the timeline of a genre provides a much deeper understanding of not just one piece, but an entire oeuvre, the overall contribution or story the artist represents. Beck’s slow, beautifully melancholy 2002 album Sea Change, for example, wouldn’t be nearly as shocking when taken out of context of his upbeat and loud breakthrough Odelay. The same wide scope applied to a style of music offers even more exciting insight. Each significant new artist adds his or hers unique personal touch, expanding the stylistic genre in different directions. These modifications are then absorbed by future artists who, in turn, spin the style further. It is this cross-pollination that keeps music vibrant and interesting today, as exemplified by Vieux Farka Toure.
Vieux, the son of the late Malian guitar player Ali Farka Toure, was riding the high of a critically lauded debut album and successful American tour when he stopped at Johnny D’s Music Club in Davis Square last Thursday. The capacity crowd, many of whom had spent the first set waiting in the cold for others to clear out, were treated to a spirited performance by the young artist, colored by traditional sounds from West Africa as well as a healthy dose of American blues.
Embodying this juxtaposition, Farka Toure strolled through the dancing crowd donning a long, light blue and white robe and a creased, leather Stetson hat, as his very capable rhythm section vamped on stage. He took the stage with a swagger and the slightest hint of a wry grin, swaying to the steady six groove of “Wosoubour.”
His songs, while certainly unconventional in form, relied on heavy touches of driving blues guitar like the music of John Lee Hooker. In this respect, Vieux’s style is very similar to that of his father. Ali Farka Toure, often dubbed “the African John Lee Hooker,” is said to have built this musical bridge between the Delta and Mali, and while that’s not entirely true, (American blues did, after all, arise from African rhythmic traditions) Ali is rightfully praised for bringing this musical dialogue to international audiences and for his beautiful tone, both in singing and playing.
Vieux not only follows in his father’s footsteps, but he also adds his own voice. His playing is much heavier, making full use of his electric guitar’s slightly dirty tone. Like his father, Vieux often plays only single notes, often on only one string, creating a full sound by adding quick pull offs to his phrases. Unlike his father, Vieux prefers rapid fire bursts of dexterity and dense sound in his solos over an even distribution of notes. On stage he was patient, waiting for inspiration to strike before launching into a fast run, content to play only a few notes at a time.
This approach to his playing was made possible by his extremely steady band. Flanked by two Americans and one African playing bass, drums, and rhythm guitar, Vieux was able to take his time, confident the band would hold a strong groove and allow him the space he needed to perform. In addition to a traditional drum set, the percussion section featured some great African instruments like a calabash, a hallowed-out gourd with a deep resonating pulse, and a conical metal cymbal, both of which added foundation and texture to the music. The setup worked well; nobody seemed to mind that each song lasted over ten minutes.
For their final song, the band chose Ali Farka Toure’s “Sindia” (or Singya), a nod to the past but with a gaze fixed on the future. Vieux prefaced his meatier interpretation of his father’s song with a plea in French for everyone to stand up and dance. As his bassist translated, “That’s the whole point of all music anyway.” He didn’t have to plead much; most of the crowd was already on their feet, including the drunken thirty-something couple in front me, flailing wildly. By the time the tune ended and the band extended a sincere thanks to the crowd for the most “magical” night of the tour, Vieux’s grin had transformed into a full, toothy smile, the perfect compliment to his robe and cowboy hat.
John DeCarli is a junior majoring in English and Italian. Check out Vieux’s self-titled debut and other info at www.vieuxfarkatoure.com. For other cheap shows at nearby Johnny D’s, visit www.johnnyds.com/calendar.htm. 03/09/07 >> go there
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