Vieux Faika Toure

Vieux Farka Toure (World Village)

In many ways, Vieux Farka Toure's debut is tailored after the late AH Farka Toure's legacy: The son echoes the bluesy strains of northern Malian traditions made famous by the father and, in keeping with North African tradition, pays homage to his elders. Some ofthe musical prodigies that played with his father collaborated on this effort, most notably kora-playing sensation Toumani Diabate.

Vieux Farka Toure, by virtue of his own talent, manages to strike a balance between tradition and innovation, rendering an album that's as much a reflection of him as it is part of the musical inheritance passed on by his father. When not displaying a robust voice and expert guitar playing, Vieux skillfully plays the calabash throughout the album. From the opener, "Sangare," a song about a longtime friend and confidante of the senior Toure, Vieux's full-bodied vocals emerge from the typical hypnotic swirl of acoustic guitar picking, propulsive percussion, and the trance-driven bass line that's characteristic of Sonrai music.

On the beautifully arranged "Dounia," Hassy Sarre fluidly plays the njarka, a traditional spike fiddle. "Ana" morphs Saharan blues into reggae, while Vieux's voice soars organically from the unlikely fusion and "Ma Hine Cocore" is an upbeat incursion punctuated by rhythmic handclapping and the unique sound ofthe Guinea flute. Father and son come together on two songs that represent the last studio recording of the older to Toure before his death in March 2006. "Diallo" features call-and-response guitar solos between the two, and "Tabara" is a contemplative journey, strikingly elegant in its simplicity. Vieux adds rock and roll edginess to the mix on "Courage," written by Eric Herman, who co-arranged the album with Vieux.

Ali Farka Toure had been opposed to his son's musical explorations. Just as his parents had forbidden him from taking up the guitar, he insisted that Vieux follow a different path. This album wonderfully reveals the interconnectedness and emotions expressed through music when acceptance and reconciliation finally arrive.

— Lissette Corsa