Songhoy Blues: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

July 14, 2015 by BOB BOILEN •
The music I feel most connected to beyond rock is from Mali. The melodies are so fluid, so elegant and most of all so trance-inducing. It often sits on one chord and notes played revolve around that chord. It can feel like a drone at times, and in the case of Songhoy Blues it rocks, lulls and the percussion grooves are not only trance-inducing but dance-inducing.

Many of the musicians we know from Mali are in exile, driven out by Islamists threatening musicians and kidnapping them; the members of Tinariwen know this firsthand. There is sadness, defiance and celebration in the music Songhoy Blues brought to the Tiny Desk from a record called Music in Exile, which is co-produced by an artist most of us rock lovers know best from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Nick Zinner. Rock and the desert blues, already closely connected in attitude and sound, fuse nicely with his touch — and can be felt in blissful rawness here.

Set List
"Sekou Oumarou" 00:00
"Al Hassidi Terei" 03:46
"Soubour" 07:49

Credits
Producers: Bob Boilen, Morgan Walker; Audio Engineer: Brian Jarboe; Videographers: Morgan Walker, Lani Milton; Assistant Producer: Elena Saavedra Buckley; photo by Lani Milton/NPR

[Ahhhsoka]

STILL my favorite tiny desk of all time❤😌✊🏾😊👑👑👑👑

[OspreyEye]

Bass player on a Squier and Guitarist on a Yamaha Pacifica. This video needs to be seen by all these people worrying about what kind of guitar they have and what kind of tone wood it has. Just make awesome music with what you have.

[hayafarah]

Seriously, NPR tiny desk. My life is richer because of you.

Songhoy Blues is my current fix of Sanity and happiness.

[crzywitboy]

Gotta love it when even though I can't understand the language but I can still feel the music.  Love their sound.

[goatsarefuntolookat]

You need to see these guys live. I've not seen another band get a crowd going like they do. This set is about as chilled out as they get.

[audrev]

Oh my goodness this is amazing. I have to listen to everything they've ever made now.

[abhishekghosh]

The sheer fact that this music was enjoyed by many who didn’t understand the lyrics shows that music crosses all language barriers.

[jonnysimpson]

Very few bands stop me in my tracks and force me to turn them up. These fellas did exactly that! Absolutely outstanding rock and roll!

[kandrius]

The best program of music in the world. I'am brazilain and i met many good bands and good vibrations. Thanks!

[amyarndt]

One of my 2017 goals is to dance more. I'm a God-awful, rotten excuse of a dancer but this music is inspiring me to dance alone while organizing my office and it's everything to me. Thank you!

[LivLuvHaul]

music is one of the few truly incredible inventions of man.

[M-n-Sapien]

The feeling in this music is through the roof, true musicians with the power to perform.

[jipes]

The power of music is immense ! If it touch your soul no need to understand the lyrics or share the same believes, just let the feeling penetrate you and make you happy

[sayerma]

If you can't hear how mississippi blues was formed in the early 1900's from THIS, then give up on music. It's the roots of slaves, from all over africa, who brought this art with them and in the USA we now have blues. In the caribbean, we got reggae. Without africa, imagine what we wouldn't have. Wow.

[roystus]

Songhoy Blues performed last summer at Bonnaroo 2015, and put on an incredibly energetic set in mid-afternoon. This video is a great representation. I hope they're able to return home soon, and I'm always glad to see the periodic resurgences of Malian music, from Ali Farka Toure, to his son, Vieux, to these amazing musicians.

[joecairo]

That Al Hassidi Terei rhythm has got me hypnotized... would love to see these guys at the Mali music festival they have in the middle of the desert... one day!

[jaredwbowman]

I heard these guys for the first time earlier this week on World Cafe. I would love to see them live

[professor_jonas]

Wow! One of the most great surprises at NPR channel this year!

[ragsmm]

Wow. Could listen to these guys all day. World class rifts.

[ajrodiego]

Amazing, I really love the clear sound of the instruments. Nice Blue feel..