Vieux Farka Toure

When Vieux Farka Toure takes the stage, strums his guitar and sings in his wavering style, his presence is enthralling. As Vieux's backing band jump in to layer more sonic elements, his Afrobeat riffs are taken to the next level and usually a dance craze ensues. Vieux Farka Toure Live is a must-have for fans who haven't seen Vieux's live performance, or for those who leave his concerts completely enchanted. Acting as a mini-audio tour, the album takes listeners to various live performances in Colorado, Australia and San Francisco. Excellently recorded and produced, the audience's feverish cheering can be heard at the end of every song. At times, Vieux jollily laughs at audience reactions and asks for band members to come on stage; it's the small elements such as this that make the live experience real. As expected, Vieux's vocals sound astoundingly perfect and his improvised technical guitar riffs are serene, as heard on tracks such as "Slow Jam" and the reggae-grooving "Diaraby Magni."