This is London Magazine New Year Edition 2026 - Flipbook - Page 25
AFEL BOCOUM: THE RETURN OF
THE MESSENGER
For over three decades, legendary
musician Afel Bocoum has stood
alongside Mali's other honoured son, the
late great desert blues pioneer Ali Farka
Touré, as a guardian of Mali's Niger River
musical soul. On 26 January at 100 Club,
there will be a rare chance for London
audiences to see Afel Bocoum, one of
Mali’s greatest musical luminaries, live in
the UK, performing tracks from his
forthcoming album Harber.
Songwriter and guitarist Afel Bocoum
hails from the town of Niafunké, on the
banks of the Niger in the Timbuktu
region of Mali. Following mentorship
from the age of 13 and extensive touring
with Touré, Bocoum launched a solo
career with his 1999 debut Alkibar (The
Messenger), with his own take on
captivating desert blues with a twist,
earning international recognition and
forging a creative partnership with
Damon Albarn, with whom he
collaborated on Mali Music (2002) and
later projects.
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Bocoum's new trio strips music to its
core – voice, rhythm, and the spaces
between. Ali Bounaly Traoré, a Songhoy
guitarist from Bocoum's hometown of
Niafunké and his apprentice since
childhood, brings fresh energy and
deep-rooted knowledge to his solo
guitar. Mahalmadane Bountel Traoré, a
seasoned Songhoy musician who was
essential to Khaira Arby's group, the
Nightingale of Timbuktu, anchors the
rhythm with calabash and percussion.
Their voices weave stirring harmonies,
their shared Songhoy heritage creating a
sound greater than its parts.
Bocoum’s music rolls and rocks,
graceful, unforced and minimal by
design, and his message – in the face of
an uncertain and turbulent world, and a
homeland struggling with jihad, poverty
and tribal war - urges hope, solidarity
and unity.
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