Today’s dose in commemoration of the union of Ben and Bri
Gotta be wedding-worthy
And if I recall correctly Ben was digging the Tuareg guitar of Mdou Moctar
So this broom- and dancefloor-ready love song seems the right call
Bombino (Omara Moctar) is probably the biggest Tuareg rock star; he got the nickname as a kind of variation of “bambino,” since he was the youngest kid hanging out with a crowd of older teens
Born in an encampment outside Agadez, Niger, he partly grew up in exile in Morocco during the first Tuareg rebellion, and has lived in various countries of the western Sahel, like many of the nomadic, pastoralist Berbers
This is from the 2011 album named after the the city, known as the “gateway to the desert,” and capital of Air, one of the Tuareg-Berber federations
The Tuareg are semi-nomadic with routes across the borders of Libya, Niger, Algeria, Burkina Faso, and Mali
Tuareg wedding ceremonies are usually week-long affairs, and music plays a key role
Many Berber musicians make a living in travelling bands, with weddings constituting a big portion of their business
Of course, Bombino’s music is not traditional Tuareg
He cites both Hendrix and the Dire Straits as influences, having been exposed to their playing via videos
But the lyrics here are in Tamasheq, speaking of love unbound by time or space
Congrats to the semi-nomadic LA couple
Can’t wait till we can all celebrate in person together
Until that’s possible, we toast from afar
