2011 Festival in the Desert - Mali Blues - JeConte & The Mali Allstars Live - I Love Mali

JeConte & The Mali Allstars performed at the Festival Au Desert in 2011. This set was documented by the Essakane film crew and it was the first time that the band ever performed at the Festival au Desert as a band. All of the members had performed at the Festival before with other projects, but this was the first time as a band.Traveling from Bamako to Timbuktu and back there were many adventures, highlighted by this performance and the journey back on the Niger River in the Pinasse.
JeConte also sat in with Vieux Farka Touré, Tinariwen, Atri' Nousef, Taflist, Terakaft, Bombino and the band had multiple tent jams with multiple bands and players throughout the festival. The band hopes to play the European Festival au Desert in 2013 as a part of their summer/fall tour promoting peace in Mali.
JeConte & the Mali Allstars are a soulful blend of traditional Malian Blues and Northern California/New Orleans harmonica-based Bluesy Rock 'n' Roll. The project leaders
collectively bring original music to the ensemble. This combination creates a high energy, one-of-a-kind performance that gets the crowd going and keeps them going.
The band recently completed their full-length album entitled "Mali Blues" in Bamako, Mali in the midst of the coup d'etat. The compilation by leading members, JeConte, Boubacar Sidibé and Adama Dramé, includes unique, soulful songs with Blues, Rock, R&B, Roots, Reggae, Afro Beat, & Traditional African World influences.
It features Khaira Arby, Bassekou Kouyate & Vieux Farka Touré on multiple tracks. The goal of this album and their forthcoming tour 'Mali Blues for peace tour' is to promote peace in Mali and raise funds to help those less fortunate. The band will be touring throughout the United States, Europe, Russia, Scandinavia & the World in 2013. For more visit their website at www.themaliblues.com
Special thanks to Lotta Laakso for all 'close up' footage and crowd footage in this piece.