The Tel Aviv Session

The Touré-Raichel Collective, a collaboration between Vieux Farka Touré of Mali and Idan Raichel from Israel, was forged from a chance encounter at a German airport. Their growing friendship led to a performance at the Tel Aviv Opera House in November 2010. After that concert, Vieux and Idan, joined by Israeli bassist Yossi Fine and Malian calabash player Souleymane Kane, spent an afternoon jamming in a small studio in Tel Aviv. The resulting recording - acoustic and entirely improvised, is the foundation for their debut album The Tel Aviv Session, out March 27, 2012 on Cumbancha.

Idan, Vieux, Yossi and Souleymane improvised a selection of songs that encompass the collaboration of these four musicians. With additional contributions by a number of special guests, the final result is an album that can bring to mind classics such as Talking Timbuktu by Ali Farka Touré with Ry Cooder, Keith Jarrett’s The Köln Concert or Vincent Segal and Ballake Sissoko’s acclaimed Chamber Music.

Idan Raichel is a pop star and household name in Israel. With his long dreadlocks and turban, Idan is easily recognized. The music he creates with his internationally renowned band The Idan Raichel Project unites African, Middle Eastern, Eastern European and other multicultural flavors into a global pop amalgam.

Idan has long been a fan of the legendary Ali Farka Touré, Vieux’s father and main musical inspiration. “I listened to Ali Farka Touré for years,” says Idan, “I even used his sound as the muse for one of the songs on my first album.” Upon meeting Vieux, Idan was effusive in his praise. “I have a dream,” Idan told Vieux, “I will leave my band and come join yours as a keyboard player. I don’t care if I get paid or anything, I just want to follow you around and see how you do it.”

Track listing

1. Azawade 08:12
2. Bamba 05:59
3. Experience 06:21
4. Alkataou 05:03
5. Hawa 07:00
6. Kfar (feat. Yankale Segal) 04:26
7. Touré (feat. Frédéric Yonnet) 04:06
8. Le Niger 07:59
9. Ai Houde Bakoi 02:47
10. Ane Nahatka (feat. Cabra Casay) 03:38
11. Alem (feat. Mark Eliyahu) 08:15

References

• http://www.cumbancha.com/the-toure-raichel-collective