My 2014 photoshoot of Songhoy Blues in the Malian capital, Bamako, which yielded the cover shot of their hit debut 'Music in Exile'.
Mali’s biggest musical export of the past decade in the ‘early days’.
I was lucky enough to spend time with Songhoy Blues in the ‘early days’. Those days weren’t so long ago – 2013 and 2014 – but so dizzying has their rise to fame been, they seem to belong to another century. I met the band thanks to the late Marc-Antoine Moreau, who became their first manager. I’ll always miss Marco; he was the most fearless of musical prospectors, without qualms about venturing into the rougher districts of Bamako, Abidjan, Jo’Burg, Mexico City or Peckham, as long as there was a good chance of discovering some startling new talent there. He was a good and loyal friend. These photos are dedicated to him…
To see the photos properly, please click on one of them, then use the arrows to scroll left or right.
Garba, Nat and Oumar from Songhoy Blues on their ‘djakarta’ motorbikes, Bamako, Mali – 2014. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Omar Toure from Songhoy Blues sitting on his motorbike, Bamako, Mali – 2014. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Songhoy Blues on their ‘Djakarta’ motorbikes, Bamako, Mali – 2014. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Songhoy Blues in the photo used from front cover of debut album ‘Music in Exile’, Bamako, Mali – 2014. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Songhoy Blues (L-R Garba, Ali, Nat, Oumar), Bamako, Mali – 2014. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Garba, Ali and Oumar from Songhoy Blues making tea in Laffiabougou, Bamako, Mali – 2014. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Nat Dembele from Songhoy Blues. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Aliou Toure from Songhoy Blues. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Oumar Toure from Songhoy Blues. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Garba Toure from Songhoy Blues. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Songhoy Blues (L-R Garba, Ali, Nat, Oumar), Bamako, Mali – 2014 Photo: Andy Morgan. 
Songhoy Blues propping up the wall, Bamako, Mali – 2014. (L-R Garba, Ali, Oumar and Nat sitting). Photo: Andy Morgan 
Garba and Oumar from Songhoy Blues propping up the wall. Bamako, Mali – 2014. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Garba on the streets of Bamako with his white semi-acoustic guitar, 2014. Photo: Andy Morgan. 
Ali and Songhoy Blues in the streets of Bamako, Mali, 2014 (L-R Oumar, Ali, Nat, Garba). Photo: Andy Morgan. 
Songhoy Blues in Laffiabougou with girl looking back at them. 2014 (L-R Oumar, Ali, Nat, Garba). Photo: Andy Morgan 
Songhoy Blues, rue 366, Laffiabougou, Bamako, Mali (L-R Nat, Oumar, Garba, Ali). Photo: Andy Morgan 
Garba from Songhoy Blues playing his white semi-acoustic, Laffiabougou, Bamako, Mali. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Songhoy Blues in Laffiabougou, Bamako, Mali, 2014 (L-R Garba, Nat, Ali, Oumar). Photo: Andy Morgan 
Ali from Songhoy Blues walking through Laffiabougou district, Bamako, Mali, 2014. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Omar and Garba from Songhoy Blues in Bamako, Mali, 2014. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Garba Toure from Songhoy Blues with guitar, Bamako, Mali, 2014. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Aliou Toure from Songhoy Blues in the Ali Farka Toure compound, Bamako, Mali, 2014. Photo: Andy Morgan 
Oumar Toure from Songhoy Blues in the Ali Farka Toure family compound in Bamako, Mali, 2014. Photo: Andy Morgan
Links
Related articles
SIGN UP! If you’ve enjoyed reading or looking at my work, please sign up to my newsletter. You’ll get updates every month or so with new articles, photo essays and other content relating to global music, Africa, the Sahara and more….
DONATE! If you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read, or have learned something that might be useful for your own work, please consider making a small donation. Any amount – £1, £2, £5, £1000! – will help to keep the words flowing and the stories coming. Thank you so much!
