The Source (Ali Farka Touré album) explained

The Source
Type:	Album
Artist:	Ali Farka Touré
Cover:	Ali farka toure the source.jpg
Released:	1992, 1993
Genre:	World
Length:	60:21
Label:	World Circuit
Producer:	Nick Gold and Ali Farka Touré
Prev Title:	The River
Prev Year:	1991
Next Title:	Talking Timbuktu
Next Year:	1994

The Source is an album by Ali Farka Touré.

The album peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard World Albums chart.^[1]

Critical reception

The Los Angeles Times wrote that "one of the most impressive performances is on 'Cin quante Six,' a solo instrumental: Toure establishes a cleanly picked folk rhythm, then overlays a flamenco-flavored melody that suggests a meeting of Leo Kottke and the Gipsy Kings."^[2] Trouser Press called the album "most notable for the way it challenges the singer to move beyond blues ('Hawa Dolo') and to eschew simple guitar riffing for more intricate single-note lines ('Roucky')."^[3]

Track listing

1. "Goye Kur" – 6:24
2. "Inchana Massina" – 5:13
3. "Roucky" – 8:18
4. "Dofana" – 7:31
5. "Karaw" – 6:28
6. "Hawa Dolo" – 5:47
7. "Cinquante Six" – 5:31
8. "I Go Ka" – 3:59
9. "Yenna" – 5:54
10. "Mahini Me" – 5:24

Personnel

• Ali Farka Touré (vocals 1-6, 8-10; electric guitar 1-2,5,9; acoustic guitar 1,3-8,10; n'jarka 1; maracas 4)
• Afel Bocoum (vocals 1-2, 4-6; narration 4)
• Hamma Sankare (calabash 1,2,4,5,6,8; vocals 1,2,4,5)
• Oumar Touré (congas 2,5,6; vocals 2,5)
• Nitin Sawney (tabla 2)
• Taj Mahal (acoustic guitar 3,10)
• Rory McLeod (acoustic guitar 3)
• Groupe Asko (backing vocals 3,10)
• Amadou Cisse (calabash 9; vocals 9)

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ali Farka Touré. Billboard.
2. Web site: Ali Farka Toure "The Source" Hannibal. July 1, 1993. Los Angeles Times.
3. Web site: Ali Farka Toure . Trouser Press . 8 February 2021.