Saramago presents Tamikrest + special guests

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Tamikrest means ‘crossing’ in the language of the Kel Tamashek, a traditionally nomadic Saharan people that is commonly referred to as the Tuareg. It is an apt name for a band that so successfully merges the values of their timeless culture with the sounds and visions they have encountered on a headlong journey to the concert stages and iPods of the world. Echoes of dub, blues, psychedelia, funk and even art-rock are seamlessly weaved into Tamikrest’s increasingly individual take on the Tuareg musical tradition.

Since the band has emerged onto the international scene in 2006 with their debut album ‘Adagh‘, they have been in constant motion, moving between the Sahara and Europe as though these places were next-door neighbors. All the while, during this same time period, their homeland has suffered increasingly profound and catastrophic events. Originally hailing from Kidal, in the northeast of Mali, most of the band now lives in exile in Algeria as a result of ongoing war, persecution and political collapse. These last years have been intensely vivid for Tamikrest, defined as they have been by both tragic sadness (families and friends turned refugees, the brutal imposition of Sharia law in their hometown) and collective growth (their musical dreams building one upon another).

Their latest album ‘Chatma‘ (Glitterbeat, 2013) deftly navigated these experiences and fashioned them into a fully persuasive and poetic musical document. In Tamashek ‘Chatma‘ means ‘Sisters‘ and the band dedicated the album in their own words to: ‘the courage of the Tuareg women, who have ensured both their children's survival and the morals of their fathers and brothers. Chatma was honoured as No. 1 in the World Music Charts Europe and highlighted on several Top Album of the Year lists like Mojo, The Independent, Roots, The Quietus and Uncut, and in 2014 Tamikrest was named Best Group at the Songlines Music Awards. In 2015 Tamikrest released a rough and ready live album ‘Taksera’. Recorded on a summer festival stage during their 2014 ‘Chatma‘ tour, the album vividly showcases the visceral and improvisational powerof the band.

In March 2017 Tamikrest will return from the desert with their fourth album ‘Kidal‘, which perfectly balances their rocking and meditative elements. The recordings took place in Bamako (Mali) with Mark Mulholland from Tony Allen’s Afro-Haitian Experimental Orchestra producing. It was mixed by David Odlum,who won a Grammy for his work with Tinariwen. Tamikrest are at the top of their game and show again that their reputation as one of West Africa’s most innovative bands is well-deserved.

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