Malian singer/songwriter and guitarist Sidi Touré is an icon of Songhaï Music, a traditional Mali genre that’s built around the minor pentatonic scale and a recognizable lute fingerpicking style accompanied by singing. Toubalbero is Touré’s fourth release and his first electro-acoustic album. Touré brought in some of the most exciting new faces in the Malian music scene for the record, including bassist Baba Traoré, drummer Mamadou “Mandou” Kone (who also plays with Vieux Farka Touré), electric guitarist Djadjé Traoré, N’Goni player (traditional Malian guitar) Ousmane “Papou” Dagnon, and vocalist Babou Diallo. Previous Sidi Touré albums were recorded in a modest tin-roofed studio in Bamako where the recording sessions have to be timed around Mali’s rainy season due to the noise from the rain pelting the roof. Toubalbero was recorded over the course of four days at Studio Bogolan, one of the best in Mali where artists that include Ali Farka Touré, Rokia Traoré, Toumani Diabate and Björk have recorded. The songs on Toubalbero are steeped in Malian culture and traditions. Our Song of the Day, “BK” is an homage to Baba Belkatras, a legend of Songhai music. Toubalbero is out now on Thrill Jockey. Check out Touré's KEXP in-studio from 2012, after his international breakout album Koïma.
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Host Emily Fox and KEXP’s editorial team talk with artists about the stories behind their songs and the experiences that inform their work. Through each conversation, we uncover the humanity behind the music, allowing us to hear it in a whole new way.
