Tinariwen

Tinariwen, whose name translates to ‘People of the Deserts’ or ‘The Desert Boys’ in Tamashek, merges traditional Tuareg melodies and rhythms with guitar-driven rock ‘n’ roll in a style known as assouf among the Tuareg people and dubbed ‘desert blues’ by music critics. This style has its roots in West Africa, specifically the Great Bend region between Timbuktu and Gao along the Niger River.