World Music Wednesday is a new weekly segment on The North 103.3 FM. Every Wednesday at 4pm on Northland Afternoon, we will feature a brand new release or a significantly important past work from our vast library of music from around the world.
Support for World Music Wednesday comes from Simply Ballroom in Duluth's Craft District. https://www.simplyballroom.com/duluth
This week's World Music Artist Spotlight is Bombino.
Bombino has been called The Jimi Hendrix of West Africa and is known for his virtuosity on the guitar.
Born in 1980 in the nomadic Tuareg encampment Tidene, just outside Agadez, Niger, Bombino (also known as Oumara Moctar) came of age during much political upheaval, fleeing with his family to Algeria in 1990. Bombino began teaching himself guitar by watching videos of his heroes Jimi Hendrix, Dire Straits, Ali Farka Toure and Tinariwen.
In the late 90s, Bombino returned to Niger but as tensions grew again in the region in 2007, the government, hoping to thwart the rebellion in all its forms, banned guitars for the Tuareg, as the instrument was seen as a symbol of rebellion. Two of Bombino's fellow musicians were executed, forcing him back into exile.
Filmmakers in the region discovered his guitar playing and helped him release a proper full length album, Agadez, which was met by critical acclaim.
For his 2013 album Nomad, Bombino travelled to Nashville to record with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. The acclaim of that album firmly established Bombino as a star on the world stage and one of the world's best guitarists.
In 2018, he recorded in Morocco for the the album Deran. The album received rave reviews and the New York Times dubbed him 'The Sultan of Shred'. Deran was nominated for a Grammy award (Best World Music Album) - the first-ever Grammy nomination for an artist from Niger. Thousands of proud Nigeriens attended a parade to welcome Bombino home from the Grammy Awards upon his return to the region.
Bombino has performed at Bonnaroo, Coachella, Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and the Newport Folk Festival.
His album Sahel is set to be released on September 15th via Partisan Records.
Sahel is his most personal, powerful, and politically-minded work to date. It’s also his most sonically diverse. The album is meant to directly mirror the complex tapestry of cultures and people that make up the Sahel region itself.
With each release, Bombino marches ever forward on his mission to use music to spread love, understanding, and the beauty of Tuareg culture throughout the world.
