by Vieux Farka Touré
With his 2010 FIFA World Cup performance before a billion people in Johannesburg, Vieux Farka Touré has become one of the most celebrated African guitarists in history.
Unanimously hailed as one of the best contemporary African releases of the year, his last studio album, Fondo saw Vieux emphatically emerging out of the shadow of his father, beloved super star Ali Farka Touré, with excursions into jam-rock and electronic virtuosity, fused with sublime Malian and West African rhythms. Fondo largely made the boundaries between rock and world music immaterial.
Vieux takes a dramatic step with his new record, The Secret, produced by Soulive’s Eric Krasno and featuring collaborations with guitar greats, Derek Trucks (Allman Brothers) & John Scofield, as well as an inspired vocal contribution from Dave Matthews, and some additional work from his late father on the title cut.
Vieux Farka Touré today represents a generational bridge connecting American and African blues music and culture. While fellow Malians were initially confused when Vieux broke free from the genre his father helped define, they quickly realised his role as a global ambassador, carrying on and sharing his culture with the planet - while taking in the sounds of this planet for his own musical endeavours.
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