Al Bilali Soudan are griots from the Tombouctou (Timbuktu) region of Mali. This is a family orchestra of fathers and sons, uncles and cousins, led by Abellow Yattara, a master of the tehardent – the Tamasheq word for the three-stringed n’goni.
Yattara has been a prominent figure for over 40 years. He played on Ali Farka Touré‘s first cassette recordings and with Orchestre de Tombouctou in the 70s.
Led by Abellaw Yattara, the group on this recording includes his uncle Aboubacrine Yattara and their sons Mohamed Ag Abellaw and Tchiale Ag Aboubacrine and Hamadoun Guindo sitting in on the Tombouctou album tracks.
This is traditional music played on traditional instruments, tehardent / ngoni / guitar and percussion / calabash. In performance, the sound of the stringed instruments is compressed to create an electric, dynamic sound. Their repertoire is based on traditional themes within which they improvise and adapt.
The Yattaras can be heard on many recordings from Mali. Family members are featured on some of the earliest recorded examples of music from Timbuktu. Today, Al Bilali Soudan can be heard frequently at celebrations and festivals in Timbuktu.