Main Stage

Sunday, July 11th · 8:30pm

Etran Finatawa

Among the grasslands of the Sahel and the shifting dunes of the Sahara desert, two legendary nomadic peoples, the Wodaabe and Tuareg, are joined together in the raunchy guitars and haunting voices of Etran Finatawa. They began as a group of musicians who wanted to unite these two nomadic cultures as a symbol of peace reflecting on their roots, with a nostalgia and warmth that mirrors the majesty of their desert home. The literal meaning of their name is 'the stars of tradition' and they are the first group to use the songs and music of the Wodaabe in a modern context. The interchange of modern and traditional songs, handclapping and rich percussion often lead the songs and are an invitation to dance while the solo guitar of Alhousseini Anivolla gives a special blues groove to their music. Their melodies, rhythms and vocals create a sonic picture of the grasslands of the Sahel and arid desert. The rich and heady blend of the particular vocal sound of the Wodaabe singers, Bammo Agonla and Bagui Bouga, the strong singing voice of the Touareg Alhousseini Anivolla and the polyphonic chorus of the whole band is the highly innovative, unique and rich sound and performance of Etran Finatawa.

EtranFinatawa.com
Etran Finatawa on MySpace