Mdou Moctar comes from the a small village in Niger, and with him, he brings some of the most innovative sounds through his music. His upcoming album, Ilana (The Creator), is his first recorded in a real studio and will be out March 29th on Sahel Records. Moctar also released the first track, “Kamane Tarhanin.”
Coming from a deeply religious village in Niger, the world of secular was prohibited to him. So he took upon himself to build a guitar out of wood and teach himself to play. Now he prepares with this album, his first in a live studio and with a live band, to bring Saharan music to the rest of the world.
ILANA (THE CREATOR) TRACKLISTING
1. Kamane Tarhanin
2. Ashet Akal
3. Inizgam
4. Anna
5. Takamba
6. Tarhatazed
7. Wiwasharnine
8. Ilana
9. Tumastin
Tue. January 15 – Macon, GA @ Grant’s Lounge
Wed. January 16 – Atlanta, GA @ 529
Fri. January 18 – Miami, FL @ Gramps
Tue. January 22 – Harrisonburg, VA @ The Golden Pony
Thu. March 28 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Andy Warhol Museum
Fri. March 29 – Cleveland, OH @ Now That’s Class
Sat. March 30 – Detroit, MI @ Trinosophes
Sun. March 31 – Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe
Tue. April 2 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
Wed. April 3 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop
Thu. April 4 – Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle
Fri. April 5 – Milwaukee, WI @ Milwaukee Psych Festival
Sat. April 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
Mon. April 8 – Denver, CO @ Globe Hall
Tue. April 9 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
Fri. April 12 – Olympia, WA @ Octapas
Sat. April 13 – Portland, OR @ Star Theater
Sat. April 20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon
Sun. April 21 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
Tue. April 23 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister
Thu. April 25 – Austin, TX @ Hotel Vegas
Fri. April 26 – Lafayette, LA @ TBA
Sat. April 27 – Lafayette, LA @ TBA
Sun. April 28 – New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
By Antonio Villasenor-Baca