Tinariwen: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Even in a stripped-down acoustic formation, Tinariwen's trance-inducing desert music doesn't disappoint. Watch the Tuareg musicians adorn their beautiful, flowing robes for a stunning set in the NPR Music offices.
Set List:
"Adounia"
"Takkest Tamidaret"
"Tenhert"
"Tahlamoyt"
For more videos and to subscribe to the Tiny Desk Concerts podcast, visit npr.org/tinydeskconcerts.

[@5k33k]

Since I couldn't find it anywhere else, here are the musicians names Abdallah Ag Alhousseyni - Vocals/Guitar Eyadou Ag Leche - Guitar Said Ag Ayad - Calebasse Special thanks to Patrick Votan from their management team for the help!

[@charleshash4919]

Tiny Desk is not very good at giving the names of the musicians that perform on their platform -- but all of the support staff for the show are named in the details given for each show.

[@grandmastermonk1]

It's 2024.... about to watch these guys perform in Sydney Opera House! Life is good.

[@itmyowninvention]

anybody here like Ali Farka Toure? I'm surprised I do not see his name mentioned anywhere in the comments. If you like this check him out. Boubacar Traore is good too!

[@shamsulalamdhaka]

itmyowninvention Yes, I like Ali Farka.

[@sidharthwarrier9001]

I like Ali Farka too .

[@nealdmiller]

And Vieux! Talking Timbuktu was one of the tapes started us on this journey! Hope all are safe and well!

[@MiguelGomes2023]

Boubacar traore is awesome!

[@adamdebesai]

They are all great musicians. What are your favorite songs by each artist? My favorites are: Tinariwen- Nanuflay, Koud Edhaz Amin, Nizzagh Ijbal, Cler Achel, Amasakoul N’Tenere, Sesante Trois (63), Imidiwan Sadjat Tislim, Tamoujrat Assis Ali Farka Toure - Diaraby, Takamba, Tulumba, Machengoidi, Howkouna, Savane Boubacar Traore - Soundiata, Dounia, Mali Ba

[@DarioForte]

What is interesting about Tinariwen is not only their music but also their story and their musical contamination throughout the years. It is really an interesting band.

[@rachel_Cochran]

Please do tell

[@sergiovasq]

So easy to listen to. Great at the end of a long day. A quiet place. A comfortable chair. Zoning out from the day with this playing....bliss.

[@إدوالبوخاني]

Sergio Vasquez ثفغ

[@ajdc88]

i've listened to this about 1000 times

[@TsegayeHGirmay]

Tuareg Music. Very similar to that of my motherland's, Ethiopia. It is beautiful. It is beautiful.

[@MugoiKihaku]

I saw them live.. it was quite the beautiful experience

[@jeremyacton4569]

I'm digging that bassman playing upside down string lefty on a classical guitar with 4 strings. Re: All the debate on this African music's relationship to Blues. Blues's cycles came from these African roots rhythms and riffs. Thanks to Tinariwen and NPR. That was groovy!

[@smoothali4311]

actually the one who signs on the left is the one who plays bass but in a different way he plays the Mi string all time and its sound like Bass sound.

[@sensorysyrynx]

All six (steel) strings are clearly visible at 8:12 and again at 14:59. The pin bridge and compensated saddle make it obvious that the guitar is not a classical, despite the slotted peg head.

[@aaronlandau5575]

In my opinion, Tinariwen's bassist is one of their best musical gifts

[@darrellspires1531]

Jeremy Acton im

[@barimando]

Love the use of the pentatonic scale. The oldest, most used and versatile scale in the world.

[@YoungxThunder]

Adounia: 0:00 Takkest Tamidaret: 5:15 Tenhert: 9:57 Tahlamoyt: 15:44

[@rubenskiii]

Wonderful, all those years later still. Warm greetings from the Netherlands🇳🇱.

[@appuswami6611]

I went to their show here in Bangalore last year and I am not exaggerating when I say that it is the best live performance I have been to till date. I hope they come perform here again. And one day I hope to produce a music video for Tinariwen. This December I have the opportunity to attend FKJ live too! Looking forward to that as well.

[@mohamedamezianetamendjari4126]

The 5th they'll be playing here in algeria and i am so hecking exited!!!

[@mle1ravens1]

I've seen FKJ 3 times live now and you are in for a great treat my friend!

[@rimstrae]

Bruh they played in Banglore??? Which festval? Hope they come to India again :(

[@appuswami6611]

@@rimstrae it was in the good times when indiranagar had brilliant live music. This happened at the humming tree.

[@eddyc4603]

Edit: answer to the comment saying this and blues grew separately or entirely independent from each other: - More like it went full circle. It's gone around the circle a few more times since early Tinariwen days (Farka Toure with Ry Cooder, Boubacar Traore recording in Louisiana, etc.). The whole Tuareg and West African blues scene is fire now, also from Niger. Most of them mention listening to American blues and such (no denying where that came from originally) in the early days, and each added their own twist to it. These days it is my favourite type of music and I listen to a lot, it's the closest I know to a direct, primal massage of the senses. Makes some of the established Western superstars sound silly.

[@kzkz22]

Awesome music it's my favorite band. . . . . tuarge people love people and pics i sure because I'm from there

[@jouharii]

man! the lefty bassist is amazing! the percussionist with the lighters is a master and the music is perfect! i hope NPR invites them again especially with Ibrahim Ag Alhabib

[@KAMATCHO0001]

Ibrahim is a legend bro , ❤TOUERG people❤ proud of my roots 🌹

[@patriciaselva1624]

vous êtes de magnifiques musiciens

[@BeniYahNomad]

I'm from east Tennessee and just found tinariwen today and love it. Been looking for this a long time!

[@fahdvibes]

for ever Tinariwen. I'll never forget that M'hamid Elghizlan festival, the show was really good,just desert and music..❤️

[@nikolaskohl4269]

Just realized that the guy on percussion is playing with two lighters. Just thought that was fun, but yeah, these guys are good.

[@theresapelham1918]

Was very grateful to have seen heard and danced to these musicians of far away Motherland... in Brooklyn NY. Wow...will never forget. Thank you

[@RoelHovenga]

How I love this band... Makes me travel to Africa without even going.

[@ndtoknw]

How beautiful! Very talented! The man is using a lighter! That has to be the coolest thing i have seen in a long time! well done!

[@shamsulalamdhaka]

Jeramy Roberts Music, hypnotic, rythomic.

[@orangeearth4139]

There are so many things in that man's face and his voice, I could watch him all day

[@suiyan6057]

yes they have their own way to explain the music and the world!

[@kennethbrown4259]

Love their music, I feel a very deep connection to it. Tinariwen's music is universal ❤

[@DaemonRicks]

Superb band from the four deserts!

[@ndtoknw]

I love the first song.....the acoustic version is incredible....

[@sidiagsalim4602]

c'était splendide, merci pour l'équipe qui nous a permit de revivre ça.

[@suiyan6057]

my favorest band of africa! very cool.

[@rodophersen]

TINARIWEN: they are fabulous!!! Thanks very much for your music!!!

[@younesshassani3381]

What a wonderful thing to see the moroccan band on the desk❤

[@NedBoukharine]

Actually, Tuaregs are a branch of the Berber tribe of Sanhadja which emigrated to North Africa way back before the Romans and the Phoenicians did. The last member of the original tribe of Sanhadja, an elderly lady, died about five years ago. There are still extensive archeological vestiges from their palaces, cemeteries and dwellings to be seen in the region of Hadramut, Yemen. Tuaregs are a type of very ancient Arab tribes.

[@valizeron]

Excelente. Escuchando esta música uno comienza a descubrir de donde viene una cantidad de música contemporánea. A pesar de que los tuareg son del norte de Africa y no de lo que se llama Africa Negra al sur del Sahara, igual hay energía similar a la música negra actual sobre todo en Norte, Centro y Sud América y también en Europa sobre todo en Francia. Brillante./ Excellent. Listening to this music one begins to discover where an amount of contemporary music comes from. Although the Tuareg are from North Africa and not from what is called Black Africa to the south of the Sahara, there is similar energy to today's black music, especially in North, Central and South America and also in Europe, especially in France. Sparkly./

[@michaeljackson37]

this band is very famous the winners of grammy award for best album

[@thegardenpear]

Wow! What an experience this must have been. Thanks NPR for the awesome music!

[@LexHills1]

Didn't expect to see these guys doing an NPRM T.D.C! Nice one, guys! Gorgeous stuff, and gorgeous album :)

[@jonsnoek]

Definitely Delta Blues influence, but that's because Tuareg music, and music from their region of Mali and other west African countries was brought over to the US with the slaves who used instruments like the guitar and banjo to recreate the sound of instruments like the Kora (which is a traditional Tuareg instrument). It's their music that influenced the Delta blues. The polyrhythm sound that is not completely in sync or harmonious at times is intentional, and is also used in delta blues

[@mohamed-amineboumzgou408]

jonsnoek berbers ( twaregs ) were never inslaved

[@danialzaman1438]

The banjo itself is based off of the akonting which is an African instrument.

[@AsSamsung-wc6qn]

Waw amazigh touareg music so wonderful

[@amazingmorocco235]

this sound is the better of Tinariwen i like it so much

[@Eliozzzzzz]

awesome music from heart and earth... peace!!!

[@gypsymandolin7359]

Beautiful music !

[@entropyfun]

Tinariwen je zakon!

[@bosniared7]

dancing bear totalno

[@SuperRealhigh]

To play your instrument with a lighter is anther leave lol , As a musician I'm in love with this band

[@johnshaw4164]

First I saw & heard of them was when they opened up for Robert Plant in Taormina Sicily...amazing show!!

[@jestyosleeky]

Thank you for downloading this, and the myriad of others... rest assured, I, and the people I know, appreciate your efforts.

[@mekkib.bourzam2726]

the bass left handed player is amazing ...

[@nicolecosten8224]

I can just hear a camel's hooves traipsing through the desert sand as they sing

[@motitabochinche4677]

jURABA QUE no los iba a encontrar en Tiny Desk y boom, Tiny siempre me sorprende

[@Aberfifth]

Lovely!

[@ZeriMelodik]

Great and Wonderful. I LOVE IT.

[@mayonaiseizationable]

This is beautiful

[@Zicke1064]

I see them live in Dortmund 2017 and it was amazing 😍

[@suiyan6057]

i was much influenced by them of palying guitar

[@serranasuarez1152]

un abrazo desde uruguay que buena musica........................................

[@Flippaarn]

wow sounds great

[@bennicolas8805]

BEAUTIFUL!!!

[@gregmcdermand6795]

Herein lies the genetic ancestral roots of blues and later, rock and roll. Its a marker.

[@NewMexicoeWine]

I laughed soo hard when I noticed the guy in the back playing the dried vegatation(??) WITH A BIC LIGHTER!!!

[@heeblay3066]

Beautiful stuff I love

[@ai4nlp]

Roots of blues from its real origin , Africa !

[@raincitypsyche]

love the pumpkin

[@hasinabegum626]

R.L. Bogdanović Ha ha ha pumpkin and lighter.

[@habertree]

I like to see they rock it old school with their attire, and not just with 14th Century robes: I spy with my little eye a calculator watch at 3:32. SO OLD SCHOOL.

[@ekzoekzo]

those guys are crazy good

[@stigandr5]

Wow, that's a nice addition to the Tiny Desk Series!

[@rikaettal4535]

thanmirth i mazighen

[@cocomaan]

I agree with you on the syncopation, I'm not sure what the time signature is either.

[@bgbreakdown]

Well done, lefty! :)

[@mohamedelhanafi8628]

Fabulous

[@husnainanwaar1992]

They were in Worship in the Desert...

[@tarikbenhaddou8146]

❤

[@bartolocasanova]

From what album is the song Adounia??? sounds amazing

[@sherifsherif9245]

تحيا لرجال الصحراء الكبرى .... ليغ دس تيمتار...هوسكسنين

[@shamsulalamdhaka]

Few numbers of musical instruments, but melodious song, attractive.

[@luamoonluna]

love

[@chinotwinkie]

i feel like every time the drummer smiles, the singer is saying something funny.

[@banurobymusic]

12 years ago ?!?!?!?

[@aesaprza]

Ok so i left the last video on it was The Cranberries. I am glad that I did these guys are good!

[@RebeccaPedersonHessey]

@ItsybitsyspiderMamma That's a pumpkin he's playing, or that's the name you gave it?

[@debbiegurung9229]

Its a calabash

[@amazingmorocco235]

nice music i like this sound

[@Sherifsound.]

*He's tapping with a purple lighter lol this is cool*

[@SaidAfroukh]

ⴰⵢⵢⵓⵣ ⴰⵢⵜⵎⴰ !!

[@astrastra5325]

Afroukh Saïd جخع

[@mmedeuxchevaux]

i prefer the "stripped-down acoustic formation" of anything.

[@ايسكتاايسكتا]

قيمة في لأداء

[@Jibbuns]

Does anyone know the name of the pumpkin instrument?

[@tancrediparisi7321]

Calabash

[@crymeariver161]

no, you hear a little Malian music in Robert Johnson

[@otakufedorashi]

rap god Abdellah @ 10:37

[@mayonaiseizationable]

@aiktai I love it! That's all.

[@timbulb]

So when do they start adorning their robes? And with what were they supposed to adorn them?

[@f1tof2]

11:45 imagine being one of the person who works in the building next to npr- what a lucky basters[sorry for the bad language]

[@CrossBonesAlex]

Song at 10:20 is my favorite groove

[@cocomaan]

It's mostly pentatonic, and I think it's in some kind of F# open chord.

[@Sherifsound.]

*I can hear a lot of Arabic words in his singing!*

[@adambadruddinsyah3178]

Has robin given the old man his bells back yet?

[@redshift912]

@joeb094 no one thought of that band name yet..very surprised

[@l1ghtange]

great improve.. drummer uses lighters to tap his pumpkin shield :D Does anyone know in what scale these guys are playing...?

[@shamsulalamdhaka]

Amrit Cado van der Lely Enjoyable

[@samadzahid3342]

Different scales , but mostly they tune the 6th string into an open G or C or D , it might not sound right when you follow the scales cuz you should know how to play the hammer ons

[@TronicGames]

Love how he uses lighters to play

[@shamsulalamdhaka]

Borja Acosta de Vizcaíno Yes, indeed.

[@joshuabensolomon711]

is he using open guitar tuning? 😮

[@Jbeliski]

This is not blues. What kind of music would one classify this as? I really dig it. They don't seem to be playing any of the regular chords, scales or time signatures. It's really hypnotic and mysterious.

[@OnlineAlbatross]

+Jbeliski They call it dessert blue

[@Asiosky211]

+Jbeliski These guys are from Mali, near the Sahara desert. So maybe so some searches on Tuareg musicians (what they are called from that region i think) and look into some arabic guitar scales and stuff. I think that will get you going!

[@Jbeliski]

+Asiosky211 Thanks so much. I'm going to try some of that! Awesome.

[@vetlesrnes5646]

+Jbeliski Check out the Sahel music label, there are tons better bands who play this kind of music.

[@thecasualfront7432]

Hypnotic and mysterious hits the nail on the head like

[@mbsnyderc]

I would really like to know what the words mean.read there bio its interesting.