Welcome the Desert Music from Niger
If you feel that African music is closer to your heart than other, you’ll be surprised to hear some good words about Etran Finatawa band from Niger. There’s no necessity to scribble in writing my dissertation, but I could just express my opinion about their recent performance at WOMAD 2009. When you hear them, you could feel the breathing of African deserts and warm of the broiling sun. The band is a real embody of African traditions.
In reality, their name could be described as ‘the stars of tradition’. Etran Finatawa’s conception is to unite two nomadic ethnic groups – Wodaabe and Tuareg. That’s why they symbolically support the idea of peace between the people. The same they did in June 2009 near Sahara. It was difficult to wait till the heat was over, but in the evening the audience could breathe freely. There were another participants and singers, the images of African traditions, but audience paid their attention to the headliner. With their catchy vocals, jangling guitar riffs, rumbling percussion the band showed the real power of so-called “desert blues”. They received the status of “Saharan ambassadors” and the classic album “Desert Crossroads” is still sounding like a fresh material (I’m gonna write special gcse coursework english about it).
Surprisingly, but I had no complaints to the event’s organizers. I thought that African music performance – is some kind of poor live-music concert in the slums. Not this time. Solid stage, good list of performers, dozens of amazing music…Africa, you’re in my heart forever!
In reality, their name could be described as ‘the stars of tradition’. Etran Finatawa’s conception is to unite two nomadic ethnic groups – Wodaabe and Tuareg. That’s why they symbolically support the idea of peace between the people. The same they did in June 2009 near Sahara. It was difficult to wait till the heat was over, but in the evening the audience could breathe freely. There were another participants and singers, the images of African traditions, but audience paid their attention to the headliner. With their catchy vocals, jangling guitar riffs, rumbling percussion the band showed the real power of so-called “desert blues”. They received the status of “Saharan ambassadors” and the classic album “Desert Crossroads” is still sounding like a fresh material (I’m gonna write special gcse coursework english about it).
Surprisingly, but I had no complaints to the event’s organizers. I thought that African music performance – is some kind of poor live-music concert in the slums. Not this time. Solid stage, good list of performers, dozens of amazing music…Africa, you’re in my heart forever!
