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.