Live from the Saraha
Tartit with Imarhan Timbuktu produced by Clermont Music
Tartit with Imarhan - live from the Sahara
The Kel Tamasheq people of the Sahara respect an ancient social order of noble families supported by lesser nobles, craftsmen and former slaves. Noble princes never would pick up a musical instrument -- that was for the craftsman, the griot, the professional bard, or the lesser nobles. But all that has changed during the droughts and rebellions of the past 50 years. The whole social order has been challenged. In the 1970s, electric guitars appeared in the desert. Everything began to change during long periods in refugee camps. What the West has come to know as desert blues, the Kel Tamasheq refer to simply as "musique guitar." Tartit and Imarhan are unique in Kel Tamasheq society because the group is made up of members from all levels of society who sing, dance and play music alongside each other. They are exceptions to the old rules. They speak directly to social change, not with guns and violence but through Democracy and their own example.
The group's name means "union," coming together, creating a new cultural space. Tartit's musical style up-ends traditional norms. Tehardent, the Tamasheq name for the stringed instrument heard throughout many West African countries, is traditionally played only by men. The tende, a traditional hand-drum, and the imzad, a violin, are both played traditionally by women. They were not played in the same ensembles. Yet, Tartit brings them together to represent a transformation of the very music and culture of the Kel Tamasheq. They represent a union of tradition and culture while embracing the modern. The music of the desert is not static. It evolves and is influenced by the many cultures who have traveled the caravan routes over millenia. Imarhan incorporates today's influence into their music -- electric guitars and modern sounds. A popular dance band at home, Imarhan speaks directly to today's young Tamashek audience. The group's trajectory demonstrates the complexity and relevance of today's Sahara..
Genre: blues, desert blues, delta blues, traditional, World
Tags: Mali, Northern Mali, Sahara Desert
Catalog # CLE006 available on the CD and digital. iTunes and Amazon and other major platforms.