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VENUE: RAILYARD PLAZA

VIEUX FARKA TOURÉ

Vieux Farka Touré is the second son of legendary Malian guitarist Ali Farka Touré. Vieux’s music stays true to his West African roots and incorporates American blues, rock, jazz, pop, and Latin music influences. 

Often referred to as “The Hendrix of the Sahara”, Vieux Farka Touré was born in Niafunké, Mali in 1981. His father came from a historical tribe of soldiers, and defied his parents in becoming a musician. When Vieux was in his teens, he declared that he also wanted to be a musician. His father disapproved due to the pressures he had experienced being a musician. Rather, he wanted Vieux to become a soldier. But with help from family friend the kora maestro Toumani Diabaté, Vieux eventually convinced his father to give him his blessing to become a musician shortly before Ali passed.

On his 2022 album, Les Racines, Vieux masterfully returns to the deep roots of the Desert Blues music that his father introduced to the world and Vieux spent most of his career to date exploring, experimenting with, and expanding. 2022 also saw the release of a long-awaited collaborative album between Vieux and Houston-based psych-rock superstars Khruangbin called ‘Ali’ - an album on which the artists join forces to pay homage to Ali Farka Toure by reimagining eight of his songs together.  The album was an instant hit around the globe, immediately getting millions of streams, enormous critical acclaim and even earning the praise of Sir Elton John who called it "one of the albums of the year - absolutely wonderful music." With each new project Vieux broadens his horizons, embraces new challenges and further entrenches his reputation as one of the world’s most talented and innovative musicians.

SEANCHAÍ 

Tony (guitar), Maria (bodhrán) and Brayden (Viola) make up the New Mexico based Celtic trio that is Seanchaí (pronounced shan-a-khee). Seanchaí means 'storyteller' in Irish and that is exactly what this band strives to do through their eclectic and energetic live shows. Hailing from New Mexico, Ireland and Washington respectively, Seanchaí blends Irish, American and European influences together, weaving through epic musical landscapes of voyages that will invite you to dance through time!

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