Tinariwen

Tinariwen (of the tamasheq, “Deserted S”, plural of: ténéré) is a group of music, resulting from Tessalit in north east of the Mali, in the Adrar of Iforas.

Their music, assouf , which mean in Tamasheq loneliness, nostalgia, make the synthesis between the Blues, the Rock, the traditional music touarègue and the Arab music. It is what one can call the Tuareg Blues, because like the blues, it was creates in the exile and the suffering. The two leaders of the group are Ibrahim Ag Alhabib “Abraybone” and Alhousseini Ag Abdoulahi “Abdallah”, but it is necessary to regard Tinariwen as an big family of artists Tuaregs, a cultural movement and a musical current. Tinariwen do not constitute a solidified formation, the artists take part in it in their own way. Some, like Mohamed Ag Itlal says the “Japanese”, contribute to the adventure thanks to their compositions, but do not wish to come to make the world tours.

Biography

Created officially in 1982, at the time of a festival with Algiers, by Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, Alhassan Ag Touhami and fire Intayaden, Taghreft Tinariwen , which means in Tamasheq, “the construction of the countries” played a big role during the Rébellion touarègue of the years 1990, by diffusing messages of hope and resistance to their compatriots. In the beginning, the three friends play on a accoustic guitar which they divide, before meeting an orchestra of musicians Tuaregs, the voice of Hoggar which sing in Arabic and which offer to Ibrahim her first electric guitar. With Tamanrasset, they give concerts accompanied by three women. After this period of exile in Algeria, Ibrahim, Intayeden, Alhassan meet Alhousseini Ag Abdoulahi, Keddhou Ag Ossad, Mohammed known as " Japonais" in the camps of drive in Libya. The group increases its novel members. When the rebellion in 1990 bursts, they return to the Mali the weapons to the hand and the guitars in shoulder-belt. They are found then integrated into the Popular movement of Azawad under the command of Iyad Ag Ghali which helps them to finance the purchase of musical instruments.

With the signature of the National Pact of 1992, and the return of peace, the group was devoted to the diffusion of the culture touarègue thanks to their music and to words evoking the love of the desert as much that the sufferings of their people. Tinariwen plays then in festivals in Mali and starts to be made a name. Their leader of 1993 to 1999 is Mohamed Ag Ansar known as " Manny" who is today the director of the Festival to the desert. It is at this same time that chorus-singers integrate the group, bringing a key of femininity to this group of ex-rebels, pointing out the tightens , traditionally sung at the time of the festivals, in the campings, by the women brought together around a soloist. Among them, regretted Wounou wallet Oumar, sister of the current singer Undermined wallet Oumar.

One counts very many pieces with their credit, recorded on cassettes which circulated in the Sahara during the rebellion touarègue. In 1999, their participation in the Toucouleur Festival with Angers, lance their career in Europe.

Their first album The Radio operator Tisdas Sessions recorded in two days with Kidal thanks to solar energy, by Justin Adams and the Lo' OJ leaves in 2000. Ibrahim, Abdallah, Keddhou, Japanese, Alhassan, Foy-Foy take part in it. It is with Amassakoul published in 2004, that their fame reaches an international dimension. The exit of this album is a real success, the group has the appearance of an ambassador of the Tuaregs throughout the world thanks to their rounds in Europe, with the the United States, the Canada, in Asia.

The French scenario writer Jérémie Reichenbach, carried out a 51 minute old documentary film, on the birth of the group, Teshumara, the guitars of the Tuareg rebellion . He replaces this advent in the wandering and the exile of the Tuareg people lived at the time of the rising of the years 1990, and the wild repression of the government Malian of the time. This film received in August, the Grand Prix 2006 of documentary musical, SACEM.

Members of the group in round

• Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, known as “Abraybone” (guitar, song, composition)
• Alhousseini Ag Abdoulahi, known as “Abdallah”, known as “Catastrophe”, (guitar, song, composition)
• Alhassane Ag Touhami, known as “Abin-Abin”, known as “the lion of the desert” (guitar, song, composition)
• Saïd Ag Ayad (percussions, choruses)
• Elaga Ag Hamid (guitar, choruses)
• Eyadou Ag Licks (low, choruses, percussions)
• Abdallah Ag Lamida, known as “Intadao” (guitar, choruses)
• Mina wallet Oumar (choruses, percussions)

Other members

• Mohamed Ag Itlal, known as “Japanese” (guitar, song, composition)
• Keddhou Ag Ossad, known as “Khiwaj” (guitar, song, composition)
• Foy-Foy (guitar, song)
• Liya Ag Ablil says “Diarra” (guitar, song, composition)
• Sweiloum

Discography

• 2002 : The Radio operator Tisdas Sessions , World Village, CD468010
• 2004: Amassakoul , World Village, CD468026
• 2006: The Soul Rebel off African Serves , DVD (included the film of Jérémie Reichenbach, The Guitars off the Touareg Rebellion )
• 2007: Aman Iman

See too

• Terakaft
• Abdallah Ag Oumbadougou
• Toumast