Ethnomusicology

Tinariwen was founded in 1979 in Tamanrasset, Algeria but, returned to Mali in the 19990’. The band started to gain popularity with the release of their album “The radio Tisdas Sessions” and performances at festivals around Mali. Internationally, their following grew with their third album “Aman Iman” in 2007. This album had everyone labeling them as musical rebels. While growing up, founder, Ibraham Aghabib witnessed his father executed in front of him. Ibraham also played the guitar out of a tin can, a stick, and bicycle brake wire. Ibraham lived in a refugee camps in Algeria near Bordj Badji Mokhtar in the desert around the southern city of Tamanrasset, where he got his first acoustic guitar from a local arab man. As he got older and started to travel he started meeting other musicians that, like him, enjoyed exploring radical protest music or moroccan groups, western pop, and western rock and roll. While the group was in its early stages of development, even though they did not have a name people from all over stater referring to them as “Kel Tinariwen” which is the Tamashek language translated as “The People of The Deserts” or “ The Desert Boys.”

Even though they drew inspiration from alot of west european bands, their sound is alittle more Grass root, and has more of traditional sound. Their sound comes from West African music the “Great Bend” region along the nile river. The use of their old traditions have solidified their longevity through music. Along with the discovery of Tinariwen, I stumbled upon some similar artist such as Amadou & Mariam as well as some other african rooted bands. The many instruments the band Tinariwen used were endless, but most were traditional pieces such as the Guitar, One String Fiddle, Shepherd's Flute, or a Tinde Drum. The specific genre they are listed as is “Tichumaren” which is a style of music from North Africa, when searching for my explanations of their music I came across more styles people think the music sounds like fr instance Electric Blues, Middle Eastern, and African Style.

Tinariwen music was always meant to be music that brought people together, and not always rebellious. Mali’s traditional music in general wanted people to come together and embrace the music. From my researched I have found that most Mali music is played with multiple people, and not just one person. I think that brings a sense of community when everyone is performing.

What is interesting about the band is that they pull influence from many regions in Africa to create a unique sound. If we were to compare it to Western artist I would have to say they sound very similar to “The Doors” and “Jimi Hendrix,” and I say this because both of those artist use their guitars in a melodic way they many middle eastern musicians play. I can definitely see that their influence was from African/Middle Eastern descent.