Afel Bocoum celebrates traditional Malian music and cultural heritage

Guitarist Afel Bocoum hails from the Timbuktu region of Mali, where the Niger River meets the Sahara.

An apprentice and colleague to the late, great desert blues pioneer Ali Farka Touré for over 30 years, Afel has taken on the mantel as the guardian of Ali’s musical soul and is set to appear and The Apex, in Bury St Edmunds, later this month.

It’s a music deeply rooted in Songhai traditions, while adding influences from the music of the Tuareg from the north and the Fulbe from the east and west, as well as the long shadow of bluesman John Lee Hooker.

The first single from Afel’s upcoming album “Harber” will be released this month in and he comes to The Apex fresh from his gig at Glasgow’s famous Celtic Connections Festival.

Bocoum became a member of Ali Farka Touré’s band ASCO at the age of just 13 in 1968 – a membership he’d keep until Ali’s death in 2006.

He created his own band Alkibar in the 1980s and forged ahead with his solo career, spanning five successful albums and making long-term creative partnerships with Damon Albarn, Africa Express and Béla Fleck.

Bocoum has established himself as a pivotal figure in traditional Malian music, preserving the region’s profound musical storytelling and an ambassador for endangered instruments like the njurkel lute and njarka fiddle.

Bocoum’s new trio strips music to its core — bringing the soulful sounds of the Saharan wind and the flow of the Niger River to life, with voice, strings and rhythm.

Bocoum is joined by Ali Bounaly Traoré, a Songhoy guitarist from Bocoum’s hometown of Niafunké, who brings energy and deep-rooted knowledge to his solo guitar, and Mahalmadane Bountel Traoré, a seasoned Songhoy musician who anchors the rhythm with calabash and percussion.

This performance promises an authentic journey into the heart of Malian musical tradition, showcasing Bocoum’s commitment to storytelling and cultural preservation and a rare opportunity to experience these instruments brought to life by a true master.

Afel Bocoum is at The Apex on Wednesday, January 21, at 7.30pm.

See www.theapex.co.uk or ring 01284 758000 for more details and to book tickets.