Vieux Farka Touré

Vieux Farka Touré isn’t called the Hendrix of the Sahara for no reason. With his virtuoso guitar playing, both danceable and mesmerizing, he turns any stage into a sweltering hot desert. And on May 25, it’s Grounds’ turn again!

Being the son of the legendary Ali Farka Touré, the musical blood naturally runs through Vieux Farka Touré’s veins. The path was thus paved to follow the same road as his father, yet Vieux Farka Touré took a different direction, steadily building his own musical identity.

But like other Malian musicians like Samba Touré and Bassekou Kouyaté, Vieux Farka Touré also takes on the important task of conveying Mali’s culture and traditions to a wider audience. His album Mon Pays (2013), for instance, was a serene ode to the splendour of his homeland. And in 2022, he returned to the roots of traditional Songhai music with his album Les Racines.

That same year, he and Khruangbin also revisited his father’s oeuvre on the album Ali. This was noticed by Elton John, who called it one of the best albums of the year. So come to Grounds and be amazed by Vieux Farka Touré’s magical journey, where tradition and innovation harmoniously blend together.

Artist website: https://www.vieuxfarkatoure.com/
Artist facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vieuxfarkatoure
Artist instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vieuxfarkatoure/

Grounds

Early bird ticket

Regular ticket

Afel Bocoum is among the last of a breakthrough generation of African musicians who were the first to cross-pollinate their own traditional music with the new sounds that arrived from all over the world throughout the 20th century. At Grounds, the Malian singer and guitarist will take us on a magical and introspective journey through his career.

From an early age, Bocoum became captivated by the music his father played on the njarka (one-string violin) and njurkel (small lute) in a style known as Seygalare; it immediately inspired Bocoum’s own take on desert blues. Bocoum’s music rolls and rocks, graceful, unforced and minimal by design, and his message – in the face of an uncertain and turbulent world, and a homeland struggling with jihad, poverty and tribal war – urges hope, solidarity and unity. Many of his songs address the need for social justice in his country and speak of music’s historic role in the Sahel region as a means of disseminating information.

At the age of 13, he was recruited into the band of Ali Farka Touré, the doyen of desert blues guitarist-singers, with whom he composed many songs and performed extensively. His debut album ‘Alkibar’ (1999, World Circuit) propelled him to international recognition, leading him to work with Damon Albarn & Toumani Diabaté on 2002’s Mali Music, as well as contributing regularly to the famed Africa Express projects, and collaborating with Bela Fleck, Habib Koité, Bassekou Kouyaté and many others.

His last album, Lindé, released in 2020, is a remarkable blend of deep tradition and audacious innovation. With the support of executive producers Damon Albarn & Nick Gold, Lindé stitches together the age-old music of the Niger bend, featuring performances from eminent musicians like Tony Allen, Vin Gordon, and Madou Diabaté.

Afel Bocoum

Buhos

Buhos is topping the charts as most popular party band in Catalonia and Spain for over 15 years. To such an extent, in fact, that their homeland has become too small. So they will pursue their European conquest tour in 2025 and will festively present their new album at Grounds.

With their energetic mix of pop, rock, ska and reggae, they get any audience dancing. From the smallest venue to the biggest football stadium. Frisky and genial, like Messi at Camp Nou. After more than 1,400 concerts, they still show their authenticity and tradition on stage: a surprising set full of danceable rhythms and positive vibes.

Meanwhile, their trophy case is bulging with awards and they are quickly breaking all possible records. No wonder, because they always put a smile on everyone’s face and will once again guarantee an extremely cheerful and joyful evening at Grounds. Visca Buhos!

Muerdo

Muerdo proclaims himself as the representative of the new singer-songwriter movement: as composer, poet, and singer, he effortlessly mixes his Spanish pop with reggae rhythms, Mediterranean melodies and Latin American warmth. In 2025, he is going on a world tour and will make a stop at Grounds to present us his new album.

What started as a short tour of Latin America in 2019 grew into a great opportunity for Muerdo to delve further into the rich Latin American musical heritage. The pandemic prevented him from returning to Spain, so he took the opportunity to dedicate himself to introspection and composing new music. The result is an infectious mix of Latin, traditional rhythms and a contemporary urban sound with powerful and profound lyrics.

With over half a million monthly listeners on Spotify and performances at the biggest festivals and iconic concert halls in Latin America and Europe, it is once again clear that his music knows no borders. On 14 March he is set to prove this at Grounds.

Artist facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Muerdomusica/
Artist instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muerdomusica/

Samba Touré

Renowned Malian guitar legend Samba Touré returns to Grounds after his amazing show in 2023! With hypnotic guitar grooves, radiating with the intensity of the desert sun, he creates an authentic and groundbreaking sonic landscape and takes us on a journey of emotional depth and rhythmic brilliance where tradition meets innovation.

Samba Touré started his career as singer of the band Farafina Lolo, where his exceptional talent caught the attention of the legendary Ali Farka Touré. Under his wing, Samba Touré made a shift towards more traditional music and became one of West Africa’s leading musicians. His debut album Fondo, a 100% traditional Songhoy album, is a fine testament to this.

On his new album Baarakelaw, to be released in autumn 2024, Samba Touré blends traditional music with blues rock, psychedelic elements, ballads and love songs in an eccentric way. The album is an ode to the small traders in Bamako, a group often overlooked but extremely crucial to social cohesion in Mali. In short: music about the common people for the common people.

Over the course of his career, Samba has already had the honour of collaborating with artists like BB King, Angelique Kidjo, Vieux Farka Touré and Bassekou Kouyaté and has had the pleasure of performing at festivals like Roskilde and Sziget. On 14 February at Grounds, he will prove why he is the new king of desert blues.

Vaudou Game

What happens if you mix the swinging rhythms of James Brown with the mesmerising tension of Togolese voodoo chants? You’ll get the highly danceable and eccentric sound of Vaudou Game! With unstoppable energy and rousing melodies, they will make Grounds shake and will send you back home très contente.

Led by charismatic frontman Peter Solo, they bring a joyful mix of afrofunk, soul, blues and repetitive voodoo that is guaranteed to turn any concert into a delightful dance party. In a tight and hypnotic way, they honour nature and bring the audience into an ecstatic trance. To celebrate life together and put a smile on your face.

With a new album coming up and after previous passages at Grounds and performances at Into The Great Wide Open, North Sea Jazz, Zwarte Cross and many other international festivals, they are once again ready to overload us with a heavy dose of African sunshine. So prepare yourself for a scorching hot winter night!

SKAMPIDA brings us rock mestizo straight from Colombia! With their innovative and diverse fusion of Colombian folkloric rhythms, and urban sounds like ska, punk, reggae, klezmer, polka, rockabilly, powercore, hip hop, gypsy influences and drum n’ bass, they will hit Grounds as a musical whirlwind.

SKAMPIDA’S inventive and cutting edge sound, filled with deep emotion and conviction, will make your soul tremble and will undoubtedly get you dancing. Thanks to their blasting live performances, they have become one of the most successful and popular groups to emerge from Colombia.

Since 2005, they are touring extensively all over the world, with up to 1000 concerts in Latin America and around 500 in the USA, Canada and Europe. And they had the honour to perform with renowned artists and bands such as The Skatalites, Manu Chao, Gogol Bordello, Molotov, King Chango, Alicia Keys, Ska-P, Uriah Heep and Skindread.

SKAMPIDA

With a career spanning four decades, Grupo Pilon have crossed a century, a millenium, countless fashions, and are still here! The Funaná-pioneers from Luxembourg and Cabo Verde invite you to celebrate the release of their fifth album “Nu Sta Li” (We Are Here) in Grounds.

Grupo Pilon is a Cape Verdean band founded in the 80s, in the Gare district of Luxembourg City, by children of the first Cape Verdeans who came to settle in Luxembourg in the 70s. Their musical style Funaná, from the island of Santiago, is the music that was once banned during the time of the Portuguese colonists because of its rebellious spirit.

The new lp “Nu Sta Li” is an album that represents the compromise of Grupo Pilon with their culture. Through this album, the band pay tribute to their glorious elders who had known how to elevate their music to the level of excellence. During a long time, Funaná was only played by the peasants of Santiago using an accordion and an iron bar to beat out the rhythm with a knife. But Grupo Pilon, together with the band Bulimundo and their mentor Carlos Alberto Silva Martins alias ‘Katxas’, gave Funaná a new face by mixing the traditional Cape Verdean sounds with electronic instruments.

Their 40-year career made them play countless shows, such as a memorable gig in Praia, Cabo Verde in front of 4000 people, made them go on tour in the United States, The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal and the United Kingdom and had them sign with New-York based label Ostinato Records. And now they are ready to make you dance at Grounds!

Grupo Pilon

Wooden boards, tin cans, empty beer crates and a few plastic bottles: that is all Kin’Gongolo Kiniata needs to magically bring the electrifying streetsound of megacity Kinshasa to Grounds and to make it a hell of a party!

Kin’Gongolo Kiniata stands out as a new force in Kinshasa’s vibrant music scene, offering an innovative proposal that captures the vibrant and chaotic urban life of the Congolese capital. Fueled by the pulsating sounds of the city, this dynamic group creates their music using instruments made from recycled objects, exploring a wide range of sound textures. The result is a highly experimental Afropop that blends the energy of punk with electronically generated Congolese rhythms.

Kin’Gongolo Kiniata explores different themes in their music that mainly focus on hope and perseverance, aiming to spread a positive message and encouragement among Kinshasa’s younger generation. Since their European debut at Trans Musicales 2022, they have been illuminating stages further afield, positively encouraging audiences in France, Belgium, Switzerland and Portugal onto the dancefloor.

Artist instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingongolokiniata/

Kin'gongolo Kiniata

Ticket

Ablaye Cissoko

Cyrille Brotto

Ablaye Cissoko & Cyrille Brotto combine their talents to present us a masterpiece of immense beauty and sensitivity. With a rich poetic imagination and musical intelligence, they create delicate music that gently ripples like a waterfall, so harmonious and elegant. So be moved by their enchanting interplay at Grounds.

Ablaye Cissoko is part of a new generation of artists from Senegal. Living like a griot, he incarnates the encounter between Mandinka traditions and contemporary musical innovations. His fragile voice and virtuoso kora playing make him one of the most fascinating African musicians. He knows how to constantly renew his musical universe and surprise us time and again.

Accordionist Cyrille Brotto spent most of his career as part of the ball duo Brotto-Lopez and with the well-known French band Les Ogres de Barback. Through his creativity and curiosity, he has the gift of taking us into sensitive, rich and multifaceted universes. Always with a simple and joyful goal in mind: that his music may touch the body and the soul.

Together, they take us on a spiritual and intimate journey, during which Ablaye Cissoko’s soft velvet voice adds an extra mystical dimension. But it is about more than just music: it is a story of friendship and deep respect for each other, the unprecedented encounter between two instruments and two artists with constantly renewed universes.

Ablaye Cissoko & Cyrille Brotto

Live music

* en (https://www.grounds.nu/en/programme/)
* nl (https://www.grounds.nu/grounds-events/151223-aboubakar-traore-balima/)

Datum vrijdag 15 december, 2023
Aanvang 21:00
Deur open 08:00



Aboubakar Traoré, uit Bobo-Dioulasso, is een wonderkind van de kamele n’goni en
een uitzonderlijk zanger. Hij vertelt en vernieuwt het fabelachtige repertoire van de
Mandingo griots, stelt de dagelijkse moeilijkheden van zijn volk aan de kaak en brengt
hulde aan de ouderen die hun stempel hebben gedrukt op de geschiedenis van
Afrika, in het bijzonder die van Burkina Faso, zijn geboorteland.

Na verschillende reizen naar België, werd Aboubakar Traoré & Balima gevormd met
de opname van een eerste EP eind 2016. Sinds de zomer van 2017 speelde de groep
een tweehonderdtal data!

Het album “Tama Tama” is genomineerd door de Octaves de la Musique 2021 in de
categorie Wereldmuziek.
In 2023, is de band geselecteerd door een internationale jury om de Belgische
wereldmuziek te vertegenwoordigen in Ancienne Belgique in het kader van de
Belgian Worldwide Music Night 2023 (BWMN)
Het project brengt Belgische en Afrikaanse muzikanten samen. Hun muziek zonder
grenzen is resoluut op de toekomst gericht. Deinende ritmes, aanstekelijke polyritmiek,
diepe grooves, rock, jazz en hip-hop sounds. De communicatieve energie van
Aboubakar en de dynamiek van Balima zullen u doen bewegen en dansen!

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ABOUBAKAR TRAORÉ & BALIMA | Friday

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Grounds is een podium waar je baanbrekende, opkomende en bekende (inter)nationale muzikanten en bands in de meest uiteenlopende muziekstijlen kan zien. Bij Grounds gaan we van Turkse folk naar Afrobeat en van Latin naar Sahara blues. Met wekelijks concerten is Grounds de plek waar je de grotere namen uit de scene live ziet en tegelijkertijd nieuwe muziek ontdekt.

Naast het programmeren van live muziek wil Grounds iets bijdragen aan het culturele klimaat in Delfshaven door een podium te bieden voor talenten uit de wijk en muziek naar de wijk te brengen door openlucht wijkevenementen te organiseren of hier actief aan deel te nemen.

Grounds organiseert, faciliteert en neemt actief deel aan verschillende wijkevenementen in Delfshaven.  Voorbeelden hiervan zijn festival Werelds Delfshaven, Wereld Wijde Wijk, Pop-up Zomerparade, Pilgrim Harbour festival en Delfshaven Festival. Wijkactiviteiten zijn de ideale evenementen om buurtbewoners met elkaar te verbinden en mensen in aanraking te laten komen met muziek en met verschillende culturen. Waar Grounds met de wijkactiviteiten naar buiten treedt is Grounds ook de plek voor talenten uit de wijk om een keer op het podium te staan.

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Grounds

500+

100+

August

ABOUBAKAR TRAORÉ & BALIMA | Friday