Sahara Prodigy Vieux Farka Touré to Perform at The Center for the Arts 

The Center for the Arts is pleased to welcome renowned guitarist, singer and songwriter Vieux Farka Touré to its Marisa Funk Theater on May 14, 2022. Often referred to as “The Hendrix of the Sahara”, Vieux Farka Touré was born in Niafunké, Mali and is the son of legendary Malian guitar player Ali Farka Touré. Vieux pays homage to his father and follows Ali’s musical tradition, giving new versions of the West African music that is echoed in the American blues, effortlessly blending elements of Latin, rock, and jazz into his sound.

Vieux was initially a drummer and calabash (bottle gourd) player at Mali’s Institut National des Arts, but secretly began playing guitar in 2001. Vieux defied his familys’ urges for him to become a soldier, choosing instead to carry on his father’s musical legacy. For over twenty years, Vieux has been honing his craft and prowess on the guitar spanning a dozen remarkable albums, including noteworthy collaborations with New York-based singer Julia Easterlin and Israeli superstar Idan Raichel dubbed ‘The Touré-Raichel Collective’ that has been hailed by fans and critics alike as a masterpiece and one of the best collaborative albums in the history of international music, drawing comparisons to Ali Farka Touré and Ry Cooder’s legendary Talking Timbuktu album. With each new project, Vieux expands his horizons, embraces new challenges and further entrenches his reputation as one of the world’s most talented and innovative musicians.

Vieux has clearly established himself as one of the world’s rare musical talents and guitar virtuosos with a distinct style that always acknowledges the past while looking towards the future. His live performances are highly energized and Vieux is known for dazzling crowds with his speed and dexterity on the guitar, as well as his palpable charisma and luminous smile, both of which captivate audiences from all cultures in spite of any language barriers (though Vieux does speak 8 languages). 

Don’t miss Vieux Farka Touré perform at The Center for the Arts on May 14, 2022.