World Music Institute Presents Vieux Farka Touré

Malian master guitarist, vocalist, and social activist Vieux Farka Touré returns to the NYC stage after his 2016 WMI performance at (le) poisson rouge - this time as part of our Let's Dance series. This appearance follows the release of his most recent solo album Les Racinesin which he pays tribute to the deep roots of the desert blues tradition made famous worldwide by his father, the late Ali Farka Touré, as well as a collaboration with the Texan funk/rock trio Khruangbin - a very personal reimagining of songs composed by his father aptly titled Ali.

The Independent says of Vieux's artistry "Every now and then, if you're very lucky, you get to witness a live performance that blows everything else away" and The Guardian hails him as "Africa's next guitar hero".

La Manga is a cultural identity laboratory that is inspired by the spirit and ancestry of cultural manifestations from the Caribbean coast in Colombia such as Bullerengue, Cumbia and Tambora. Honoring Black and Indigenous oral traditions; connecting with the power of tambores Afro-Colombianos (Tambor Alegre, Tambora and llamador) and celebrating life through storytelling and bailes cantaos. This project is the work of a collective of women artists composed of Daniela Serna, Andrea Chavarro; Katherine Ocampo, and Lina Fernanda Silva, who enjoy creating and fostering a community of women around these traditions using percussion as a portal to connect these universes.

This marks the fifth time that dj.henri will open for Vieux Farka Touré. He has long specialized in the music of Mali and Guinea, opening for notable artists including Salif Keita, Habib Koité, Tinariwen, and Rokia Traoré. He's been booked at the Apollo Theater, B.B. King's, Symphony Space, (le) poisson rouge, and Joe's Pub, among other venues. For several years, he opened "Desert Blues" shows for WMI. His station Radio Africa Online is the longest-running African all-music station online. He writes a column for Afropop Worldwide, and his podcast Radio Africa Online Mixes can be found on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, and other podcast platforms. DJ Henri will be spinning the music of Mali and Guinea before and between acts.