how come every time I find an important date on the net, it’s already passed… not that I would have had any chance to go to West Africa and take part in a festival, but still, if I had found its announcements on time, I could have at least dreamed about going there… for a while, then on the illustrious festival days I would have celebrated and entered fully into the spirit of it just a few thousand miles further...

I thought I would not let this festival pass just like that and now I'm inviting you to a virtual tour to Segou, Mali, where the 3^rd annual Festival on the Niger was held just two weeks ago (but time’s only an illusion, isn’t it?!)… so let’s enjoy and celebrate with these wonderful artists and their music!!

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Little about the place:
Ancient kingdom of culture and tradition, Segou has inspired numerous writers and historians. Among the most famous is Maryse Condé.
Segou is also a region of traditional music and dance. The third Festival on the Niger, which will (did – ed.) take place from 1 to 4 February 2007 in Segou, offers you a unique spectacle, with music and dance from the region, as well as well-known West-African artists, who will play on the river Niger.

Aims:
Through this varied program, the Festival on the Niger offers you an interdisciplinary and intercultural meeting, bringing together people from Segou, Malians and foreigners from all over the world, sharing the same wish: to discover the other and to learn from our differences.

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Featured musicians:
(press links to listen to free music samples)

Habib Koité http://www.habibkoite.com/index2.php?page=news#
Les Go de Koteba http://www.emusic.com/album/10963/10963265.html
Toumani Diabaté http://www.mali-music.com/Cat/CatT/ToumaniDiabate.htm
Oumou Sangaré http://www.oumousangare.co.uk/
Tinariwen http://www.rockpaperscissors.biz/index.cfm/fuseaction/current.press_release/project_id/15.cfm
Doussou Bagayogo http://www.sternsmusic.com/discography/1212
Abdoulaye Diabaté
Bassékou Kouyaté
Mah Kouyaté No 2 http://www.fnacmusic.com/discography/8a8d4b30-d175-4f05-b5ae-5dbc7fac1613.aspx
Papa Gaoussou Diarra
Lobi Traoré and Joep Pelt http://www.mali-music.com/Cat/CatL/LobiTraore/LobiDisco.htm
Néba Solo http://www.mali-music.com/Cat/CatN/NebaSolo.htm
Vieux Farka Touré and his band http://www.vieuxfarkatoure.com/index_site.html

NOW DO YOU FEEL THE VIBE?!

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And there were workshops of pottery and bogolan making, storytelling, and an art exhibition... AH!!

If you’re a fan of the above mentioned musicians, put a record on and in-joy!!!!!!! Hope I’ve tuned you in at least a bit… now come and dance with me!! (And next year don’t forget to go to the 4^th Festival on the Niger!!)

If anyone has anything to say about the above mentioned artists, please do!!

(& tell me how on Earth can I insert images... you've got a lame host, guys, sorry )

peace

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wawawa looks like one hellova party that will blast yerr (my) ass to space!!

Abdulaye Diabate.... this crazzy drummer master will probably make ya drill a crater with yerr dancing feet

And Oumou Sangare will make yerr heart bounce out of yerr ribs, and then back into mother mali's loving arms...

Habib Koite... lovely lovely gold mine i'm still yet to discover fully (inshallah)

hmmmm

Gottta fly to africa soon, and bounce around with ye ildi!

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oh and forgot about Tinariwen - those hardcore sahara desert vibes that will make ye go around shaking yerr head like a camel

and toumani diabate that will finally send ye to space with his magic rain of kora* sounds

(*kora- African Harp... beautiful thing)

And still gotta find out bout the others!

ooh thanks for telling ildi!   

This post was modified from its original form on 16 Mar, 4:29  [ send green star]

Tinariwen

and some info about the tuareg band:

http://www.emazighen.com/article.php3?id_article=99

Oumou Sangare the greatest

Toumani Diabate

http://www.afropop.org/explore/artist_info/ID/273/Toumani%20Diabat%C3%A9/

http://www.eyefortalent.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/artist.detail/artist_id/110

http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/04/02/travel/02mali.html

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Thanks for posting this music

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well, drat, it's winter, me computer's ailing with some virus, and i haven't been around here for quite a while either, not to mention that luvalee festival...

anyway, now there's more sunshine all around Ild-I big up! and Tinariwen is the greatest, aaah.

Mali also has to be proud of Rokia Traore, though...

lotsa afrikan luv

bo

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