Vieux Farka Toure

Boureima "Vieux" Farka Touré (born 1981) is a Malian singer and guitarist born in Niafunké, Mali - son of Malian musician Ali Farka Touré. Vieux has proven in his energetic live shows that he is the heir to Ali's talent while still distinguishing himself from his famous bluesman father, Malian legend Ali Farka Touré, and has transcended the limitations of the world music genre itself. For the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Johannesburg, South Africa, Vieux performed before a billion people, and has become one of the most celebrated African guitarists in history. Vieux was the flagship artist for Modiba Productions from the date of release of his debut album, released online in Fall 2006 and in retail worldwide February 2007 - featuring Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté on several tracks. It has been acclaimed by critics worldwide. International acclaim is still pouring in from his second full-length released in May 2009 by Six Degrees Records, Fondo—one of iTunes best World Music albums of 2009, and a staple on critics' year-end pick lists as chosen by the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Village Voice and the BBC among many others. In June 2010 the Vieux Farka Touré (VFT) Live album was released, affirming that Vieux has become a legend in his own right, emerging at a crucial point in history, just as the Western world is finally beginning to take notice of West African acts like Amadou & Miriam and Oumou Sangaré. Not only does the VFT Live album capture the excitement of Vieux's much-anticipated 2010 FIFA World Cup performance but it also confirms that tens of thousands of music fans all around the world already know that Vieux's live show is championship-caliber.