Violent conflict led to beautiful sound. For the past few years, Iyad Moussa Ben Abderahmane, aka Sadam, toured with remarkable African blues fusion group Tinariwen, filling in for bandmembers who were restricted from going on the road during the Northern Mali conflict from 2012-15.
The international tour, in support of Grammy Award-winning Tinariwen’s nostalgic desert blues LP Emmaar, included a hypnotic sold-out performance at Big Sur’s Loma Vista Gardens in October 2014. More importantly, it helped set Sadam’s band, Imarhan, in motion: Sadam, who’s a cousin of Tinariwen bassist Eyadou Ag Leche, got the feel for what it takes to tour internationally.
They recently finished touring Europe with famed indie rocker Kurt Vile; Wednesday they perform at Henry Miller Library in support of the group’s forthcoming self-titled debut, out April 29. Leche, who has both co-writing and production credits on the record, plays a central role.
“[Leche] has taught us a lot and given us a lot of motivation since our start,” Sadam says. “He offered me my first guitar and gave his first bass guitar to our bassist.”
Imarhan’s iteration of Tuareg music is deeply personal and somewhat political, but there’s an additional modernized twist that he feels has the ability to reach a wider audience worldwide.
The title track grooves with a celebratory rhythm, fueled by a lightning-quick guitar riff, that can make even a stiff body quake. The English translation of the chorus: “This world of yours is fast and competitive/ Beware of chasing it, it’ll make you anxious.”
Imarhan’s sound features layers of African inspirations, including Malian musician Habib Koité and the Algerian artist Allah.
“[The album] is not only about Tuareg youth, it aims at talking to any young people everywhere,” Sadam explains. “It’s about love, loneliness, desert and about social issues young people are facing, about the importance of solidarity and caring about others.”
Identical twins Mattson 2 (who fuse surf rock and hard bop jazz), multi-talented touring steel guitar player Farmer Dave Scher, experimental electronica duo JJUUJJUU, and singer-songwriter Dave Miller open.
IMARHAN 5pm (4:30pm gates) Wednesday, April 20. Henry Miller Memorial Library, 48603 Highway 1, Big Sur. $38.97. www.folkyeah.com
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