Toumast

小簡(jiǎn)介
出生于尼日爾和馬里交界的Azawagh山谷北部，作為另一只馬里樂(lè)隊(duì)Tinariwen的創(chuàng)始成員，吉他手、歌手及作曲者M(jìn)oussa Ag Keyna有著超強(qiáng)的創(chuàng)作能力。他現(xiàn)在的樂(lè)隊(duì)Toumast邀來(lái)了女歌手Aminatou Goumar共同哼唱出聽(tīng)似綿延不絕的美妙韻律，貝斯鍵盤薩克斯分別來(lái)自法國(guó)及非洲等地。陰郁的歌詞，攝魂的節(jié)奏，映襯出對(duì)于戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)或世事的深刻感悟
The Touaregs occupy a huge territory that stretches from central Sahara – southern Libya to southern Algeria – to the North of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. During the past decades, their society underwent transformations that deeply modified their pastoral and trading economy as well as their political life.
At the beginning of the 1960's, while the Touaregs expressed in vain their refusal to be attached to the states of Niger or Mali, the decolonization deprived them of true independence and their territory was parted between different states. The authoritative and repressive policy of the governments of Niger and Mali radicalized furthermore their positions.
In the 1970's and 80's the region was struck by several periods of drought, forcing the touareg population to exile to southern Algeria and southern Libya. It then became customary to call the young Touaregs looking for work, ishumar, a term borrowed from the French "ch?meur", meaning unemployed.
Going from city to city the Ishumar lived an itinerant life along with the tormented story of the Touareg Liberation Front that was growing clandestinely. Their particular culture is forged outside of the camps and the cities, far from their families.
The Touareg Liberation Front launched an offensive in 1990 against the northern regions of Mali and Niger. The conflict officially ended in 1992 in Mali and 1995 in Niger when the regimes became more democratic.
The first ishumar band, founded in Libya and Algeria around Intiyeden and Ibrahim Abaraybone, is called Tinariwen. They draw their inspiration from traditional melody lines. Their militant lyrics describe their adventurous way of living and formulate vibrant calls to mobilize the younger generation that remains in the country. These itinerant musicians perform during night festivities in shantytowns.
Their songs are then recorded on tapes, duplicated, exchanged or offered, spreading the word of the Ishumar in all of the touareg region, in camps as in cities.
Toumast was founded in the 90's around Moussa Ag Keyna. In 1993, after years of combat and resistance, Moussa is severely wounded and evacuated to France, later joined by Aminatou Goumar. His encounter with composer, arranger and producer Dan Levy in Paris will be the starting point to the recording of the album.
It is a testimony about the years of combat and disillusion experienced by the Touaregs. The songs contain topics precious to the Ishumar: the nostalgia of the nomadic life, love, the bitter taste of exile and the criticism of politics.