African Aristocracy

The secondary strap line of "King of the Desert Blues Singers" attached to the album Savane by Ali Farka Toure is an obvious and deliberate reference to the famous Robert Johnson "King of the Delta Blues Singers". AFT was a completely different character to the itinerant Johnson though, preferring to shun the kind of Buena Vista promotion that his record company could have given him to continue to farm in rural Mali and become mayor of his community. His influence nevertheless spread well beyond the confines of his home patch of desert, he was a role model for future generations of African musicians and this final album before his death from cancer is a fitting culmination of his musical life. There is still debate about exactly how closely the music of the west African griots can be linked to the blues of the deep south of the USA, certain guitar riffs are decidedly familiar but there are other influences in this music that don't correspond so readily. In what may be a concscious attempt to play up the link, their are guest appearances on this album from Little George Sueref on harmonica and James Brown alumni Pee Wee Ellis on saxophone but the core of the sound revolves around the guitar of Ali Farka Toure and the interplay with such as the ngoni of Bassekou Kouyate and the multiple percussionists. Even if he didn't take his ambassadorship on the road very often, Ali Farka Toure was a supreme ambassador for his region and his continent.