Vieux Farka Touré, a Malian native and son of accomplished musican Ali Farka Touré, is one of the featured performers at the Double Decker Arts Festival, one the most notable events to take place in Oxford each year.
“My father was always playing guitar at home and musicians were always visiting our house,” Touré said. “Music is also very important to life in Mali.”
Mali is a diverse country with many different languages and people. “But music is what brings us all together,” Touré said.
Despite a few clear distinctions, Touré insists that the spirit of music is the same, regardless of where in the world it is performed.
“You don’t have to go to a concert hall to see great music. You can hear it at festivals, small clubs or people’s homes,” Tourésaid. “Mississippi and Mali have a shared connection with blues music and both have their own styles.”
Since Touré’s last visit to Mississippi several years ago, he has released two albums. The first, “Les Racines,” was recorded in Mali and released in 2022. His latest album, “Ali,” also released in 2022, was a collaborative effort between him and the band Khruagbin.
One of Touré’s greatest pleasures throughout his extensive career has been sharing his work with people who would have been unlikely to discover it otherwise.
“I always like opportunities to share my music with fans that might not be familiar with my music or Malian music,” Touré said.
While Touré considers his latest tour in Australia to be “the highlight of this year,” he says that his current tour within the United States has been a similarly exciting experience.
Touré performed in Oxford at Proud Larry’s in 2017, but he has yet to experience what the Double Decker Arts Festival has to offer.
“I’m excited to be back,” Touré said. “I want to hear some other great music and eat some delicious food while I’m here.”
Vieux Farka Touré will perform at the Double Decker Arts Festival on Saturday, April 29, at 12:30 p.m. Learn more about the Double Decker Arts Festival at doubledeckerfestival.com.
