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One of the most internationally successful West African musicians of the '90s, Ali Farka Toure was described as "the African John Lee Hooker" so many times that it probably began to grate on both Toure's and Hooker's nerves. There is a lot of truth to the comparison, however, and it isn't exactly an insult. The guitarist, who also plays other instruments such as calabash and bongos, shares with Hooker (and similar American bluesmen like Lightnin' Hopkins) a predilection for low-pitched vocals and mid-tempo, foot-stomping rhythms, often playing with minimal accompaniment. Toure's delivery is less abrasive than Hooker's, and the general tone of his material somewhat sweeter. Widespread success on the order of Hooker will probably not be in the offing, though, as Toure sings in several languages, and only occasionally in English. As he once told Option, his are songs "about education, work, love, and society." If he and Hooker sound quite similar, it's probably not by conscious design, but due to the fact that both drew inspiration from African rhythmic and musical traditions that extend back many generations. Toure was approaching the age of 50 when he came to the attention of the burgeoning world music community in the West via a self-titled album in the late '80s. Since then he's toured often in North America and Europe, and recorded frequently, sometimes with contributions from Taj Mahal and members of the Chieftains. 1994's Talking Timbuktu, on which he was joined by Ry Cooder, was his most well-received effort to date. It was also proof that not all Third World-First World collaborations have to dilute their non-Western elements to achieve wide acceptance. However, Toure didn't release a record on American shores for five years afterward; he finally broke the silence in 1999 with Niafunke, which discarded the collaborative approach in favor of a return to his musical roots.
Richie Unterberger
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