Thurday 4, Friday 5 and Saturday 6 July in Florence, the fourth edition of the Festival au Désert/presenze d’Africa: an exceptional encounter of Tuareg, Mali and cross-African culture, with European and international musicians who have made sound curiosity their own hallmark style. Not only concerts, but a time for making acquaintance, comparison and exchange from which will come jam sessions and musical productions to be presented to the audience in the fascinating surroundings of the Complesso Le Murate of Florence.

Among the many artists involved this year: the Tuareg musicians Tadalat (revelation band at the 2012 Festival au Désert in Timbuktu), the multi-instrumentalist and singer of Moroccan origin Aziz Sahmaoui (collaborator of Joe Zawinul and founder of the University of Gnawa), the balafonist Lansiné Kouyaté (son of the famous Malian singer Siramori Diabaté), the “world” singer-songwriter Piers Faccini, the electric guitarist and singer from Guinea Moh! Kouyaté, the Afro-American drummer Hamid Drake and also the musician Paolo Angeli with his Sardinian prepared guitar (Pat Metheny has willed for him an identical guitar), Pasquale Mirra, Dimitri Grechi Espinoza, Silvia Bolognesi, Jérôme Li Thiao Te and as a special guest the trumpeter Roy Paci.

With the support of: Comune di Firenze / Estate Fiorentina, Regione Toscana, Institut français Firenze, Centre Culturel Français de Bamako, Kingdom of the Netherlands/Olandiamo in Toscana, Publiacqua / Water Right Foundation, Le Murate Caffè Letterario, Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights.
Within the music Festival “Suona francese”, promoted by the French Embassy in Italy and Institut français Italia, with the support of Institut français, Fondazione Nuovi Mecenati and Ministry of Education and Research – Higher Education in Art, Music and Dance.
In collaboration with: AZALAI – Laboratoire Nomade, project supported by the Culture programme of the European Union, Sonoria – spazio giovani & musica, Il Vivaio del Malcantone, Associazione Transafrica, Cospe, Le Carceri, Viaggi Solidali, Associazione Culturale The Cage, Unicoop Firenze, Hairforce, associations and communities of migrants and foreigners in Italy.

PROGRAMME

July 4

7pm
Opening

ore 20:00
AZALAI JAM

8pm 
TADALAT
OUMAR OULD BADI – guitar/vocals, ABOUBACRENE AG MOHAMED – guitar/vocals, ZEIDI AG BABA – bass/choir, MOHAMED AG IBRAHIM – djembe, ISSA SAMAKÉ – calebasse, SILVIA BOLOGNESI – double bass, JÉRÔME LI THIAO TE – violin

10pm
AZIZ SAHMAOUI – vocals, ngoni, HERVÉ SAMB – guitar, ADHIL MIRGHANI – percussion, HILAIRE PENDA – bass

11pm
PAOLO ANGELI – Sardinian guitar

July 5

7pm
The right to water in Mali
meeting with Oliviero Giorgi (Water Right Foundation), Haram Sidibe (Dji Djélé project)

8pm
AZALAI JAM

9pm
LANSINÉ KOUYATÉ – balafon, PASQUALE MIRRA – vibraphone, HAMID DRAKE – drums

10pm
AZIZ SAHMAOUI – vocals/ngoni/mandola, HERVÉ SAMB – guitar, ADHIL MIRGHANI – percussion, PASQUALE MIRRA – vibraphone, LANSINÉ KOUYATÉ – balafon, HAMID DRAKE – drums

11pm
PIERS FACCINI – vocals/guitar, HAMID DRAKE – percussion

July 6

7pm
Mali, Sahara, the Mediterranean
meeting with Olivier Roy, islamologist, lecturer at the European University Institute

8pm
AZALAI JAM

9pm
LANSINÉ KOUYATÉ – balafon, PASQUALE MIRRA – vibraphone

9pm
PIERS FACCINI – vocals/guitar, SIMONE PRATTICO – drums

10pm
AZALAI BAND
Special Guest: ROY PACI
LANSINÉ KOUYATÉ – balafon, PASQUALE MIRRA – vibraphone, HAMID DRAKE – drums/percussion/ vocals, DIMITRI GRECHI ESPINOZA – sax, PIERS FACCINI – guitar/vocals, MOH! KOUYATÉ – vocals/guitar, HILAIRE PENDA – bass

11pm
TADALAT ACOUSTIC

With the support of: Comune di Firenze / Estate Fiorentina, Regione Toscana, Institut français Firenze, Centre Culturel Français de Bamako, Kingdom of the Netherlands/Olandiamo in Toscana, Publiacqua / Water Right Foundation, Le Murate Caffè Letterario, Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights

As part of the music Festival “Suona francese”, promoted by the French Embassay in Italy  and Institut français Italia, with the support of Institut français, Fondazione Nuovi Mecenati and the Ministry of Education and Research

In collaborazione with: AZALAI – Laboratoire Nomade, project supported by the EU Culture Programme, Sonoria – spazio giovani & musica, Il Vivaio del Malcantone, Associazione Transafrica, Cospe, Le Carceri, Viaggi Solidali, Associazione Culturale The Cage, Unicoop Firenze, Hairforce, associations and communities of immigrants and foreigners in Italy

Photogallery