Savane

Ali Farka Touré, 2006. Solo by Ali Farka Touré.

The title track of Touré's final album, played on electric guitar with a relaxed, deep groove.

Savane is the title track of Ali Farka Touré's final album, and he plays it on electric guitar with a relaxed, deep groove. His playing is unhurried and assured, the notes placed with the ease of a musician who has nothing left to prove. The electric tone adds a little more sustain and warmth than his acoustic recordings, but the rhythmic feel remains unmistakably his. It stands as a fitting late statement from one of the most important guitarists in West African music. Listen for how the guitar pattern settles into a slow, steady cycle; small variations give it life, and the groove seems to breathe.

Savane by Ali Farka Touré is featured in our Desert Blues (#18) list. The solo is played by Ali Farka Touré and the song was released in 2006.

In our lists

• The Greatest Desert Blues Guitar Songs — #18
• The Best Ali Farka Touré Guitar Solos — #6

Sources