logically end up in Africa—the
homeland of the mothers,
fathers, and grandparents of the
genre’s founders. And naturally,
the cycle of musical evolution
goes back in time to the dawn
of humankind.
As Darwin found on the
Galápagos Islands, though,
the same species will evolve
differently under contrasting
conditions. And for players
interested in how this phenom-
enon has played out musically
in modern times, Vieux Farka
Touré’s father, the late Ali Farka
Touré, has proven a fascinating
and enjoyable study. Ali’s first
appearance on the world music
scene came with his 1976 album
Ali Touré Farka, and soon after
his reputation as an “African
John Lee Hooker” spread
throughout the continent. Prior
to succumbing to bone cancer
in 2006, Ali’s influence had
spread into the mainstream due
to his collaborations with slide
wizard Ry Cooder, Taj Mahal,
and Corey Harris.
