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BBC - Africa on Yuor Street, Feature >>
-by Ilka Schlockermann
To be the off-spring of a legend you have have a lot to live up to. And even if you are more than capable of standing on your own two feet and producing quality music - such as in the case of Femi Kuti and Damian Marley - it's hard to think of anybody who has actually topped their parents' success. Well, this is exactly what Vieux Farka Toure, the 26 year old son of the late Ali Farka Toure, aims to achieve. I caught up with this ambitious, young man before his first London show on 6 April 2007 where he was supporting Rachid Taha at the Barbican.
Initially, Ali Farka Toure was against his son pursuing a music career. This meant Vieux had to be very discreet about it when he started playing percussions in 1994 and then played with Afel Bocoum and the local orchestra, and later on, in 2000, when he began seriously studying the guitar. However, in the recent years leading up to Ali's death he had gained his father's support. In fact Vieux played calabash on his father's last album, 'Savane', and they also toured together in Africa. On Vieux's own debut album Ali collaborated with his son. (Vieux also enlisted one of his father's musicians, ngoni player Bassekou Kouyate, for the recording, though the majority of the other instruments on the album were played by Vieux himself.)
It was in the US, Vieux's current semi-official base, that his debut album was first released. He has been doing extensive touring in the States and it is also where his producers, Jesse Brenner and Eric Herman (also his bass player) of Modiba Productions, are based. About his debut album Vieux says: "It's an accumulation of a lot of my thoughts over the years. My dad was a great philosopher, always throwing out proverbs and provoking deep thinking. Very often he would say something to me and I would then go away and think about it and a write a song, or somebody would give me a piece of advice and again I would contemplate it and it may end up in a song. The album includes influences from all these sort of encounters."
Apart from his dad another very important influence on Vieux has been kora master Toumani Diabate. Vieux explains: "In Malian culture there's a system within which if an artist has a child who is going into the arts, there is the notion of naming an official godfather, if possible another artist, so that the parent doesn't have to give the advice. My dad suggested that Toumani become not only my godfather but also act as a true mentor. Even though Toumani plays the kora he worked with me on my stage presence, he asked me to perform with him in Bamako many times. Toumani also negotiated my contract with Modiba Productions and on a personal level Toumani is very active in my life, too." Another important figure in his life is Diadie Sangaré, Ali Farka Toure's closest friend from childhood until his death. To Vieux he is a true father figure and he has honoured him on the track 'Sangaré': "Sangaré resolves many personal and family issues. He is dad for everybody in our huge extended family."
So apart from his father and musicians his father surrounded himself with what are Vieux's influences? "I'm young so I don't just listen to traditional Malian music. I like listening to rap, reggae, reggaeton. On my iPod I have lots of different music. Recently I have been listening to Alpha Blondy a lot." So it doesn't come as much of a surprise that a promo album of remixes of tracks from his debut album is doing the rounds at the moment. Curiously entitled 'Remixed: UFOs over Bamako' it includes remixes aimed at the dancefloor. Whilst initially his producer's idea Vieux was delighted with the remixes, and even admits to personally liking remixes better than the original album version.
Asked what his goals are a confident Vieux replies: "I want to go even further than my father did, further and higher because when my father was young he hadn't gone anywhere, when I am his age I want to already have been there and done that - that's why I am working so hard." And hard-working he is indeed, almost endlessly touring and also he is currently recording new soundtrack album Ry Cooder.
Vieux Farka Toure will be performing at WOMAD for the first time in July 2007. He will also perform as part of the popular Heatwave tour taking place at venues throughout the UK from 15 until 25 November 2007. 07/17/07 >> go there
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