Dusu Mali Band

Dusu Mali Band released an album the same day they performed at the all-ages music festival Saturday afternoon. The crowd was accompanied by many loved ones, creating a sense of closeness between the performers and the audience. It significantly set them at ease. They were definitely one of the most interesting bands to play, and the sound was abstract to the typical Portland scene.
Their minimal guitar solo parts and subtle band entries play on emotions. Heavily diving into West African sounds fused with psychedelic rock built a recipe for perfection.
The performance was intimate, and every note was on display. The vulnerability added to the performance. Not a single sour sound was heard. It was in fact such an amazingly beautiful performance that it was hard to even stand up just to listen. While laying down in the sun just to take it all in, the conversations in between from leading members shouted out positive thoughts and ideas. - SSG Music

Dusu Mali Band released an album the same day they performed at the all-ages music festival Saturday afternoon. The crowd was accompanied by many loved ones, creating a sense of closeness between the performers and the audience. It significantly set them at ease. They were definitely one of the most interesting bands to play, and the sound was abstract to the typical Portland scene.
Their minimal guitar solo parts and subtle band entries play on emotions. Heavily diving into West African sounds fused with psychedelic rock built a recipe for perfection.
The performance was intimate, and every note was on display. The vulnerability added to the performance. Not a single sour sound was heard. It was in fact such an amazingly beautiful performance that it was hard to even stand up just to listen. While laying down in the sun just to take it all in, the conversations in between from leading members shouted out positive thoughts and ideas. - SSG Music

Best flute solos and fastest djembe hands: Dusu Mali, which means “Gentle Heart of Mali,” and their African-inspired rhythms mixed with American blues, which melded many influences (dubbed “the Portland blues” by drummer Edgar Doumerc) and instruments. Fronted by native Malian Ibrahim Kelly (nephew of Ali Farka Toure) and highlighting his incendiary guitar work (mouth play included), the rambling five-piece brought some international flavor–just look at their names to get a clue of their varied backgrounds as the band also includes Tah Rei (keys/flute/sax), Tyler Smith (guitar/djembe), Terry Tomei (bass)–amongst the sometimes narrow, or at least normal, indie options. - Oregon Music News

Afrobeat is typically marked by polyrhythmic drum beats, blaring horns trumpeting in repetition, thick bass grooves and call-and-response choruses in foreign languages. Malian transplant Ibrahim Kelly’s Dusu Mali Band does all this, but ups the ante with generous doses of rock, blues, roots music and a pan-African bent that makes the music soar while grounding it all in the most highly danceable and hypnotic grooves imaginable. Kelly’s troupe exploded onto Portland’s often-overlooked Afrobeat underground seemingly out of the blue, but its powerful and playful sound hopefully won’t stay hidden for long. - Willamette Week

Afrobeat is typically marked by polyrhythmic drum beats, blaring horns trumpeting in repetition, thick bass grooves and call-and-response choruses in foreign languages. Malian transplant Ibrahim Kelly’s Dusu Mali Band does all this, but ups the ante with generous doses of rock, blues, roots music and a pan-African bent that makes the music soar while grounding it all in the most highly danceable and hypnotic grooves imaginable. Kelly’s troupe exploded onto Portland’s often-overlooked Afrobeat underground seemingly out of the blue, but its powerful and playful sound hopefully won’t stay hidden for long. - Willamette Week

The first thing anyone learns about the Dusu Mali Band is that it is led by native Malian Ibrahim Kelly who is nephew of Ali Farka Toure.
The second thing you should learn is when and where they’re performing. That would be Thursday, January 6 at the Goodfoot Lounge, 9pm, $6.
In addition to Kelly on guitar, vocals and Djembe, there are Tah Rei on keys, woodwinds, vocals and percussion; Tyler Smith on guitar, Djembe, vocals and percussion; Mikey Lobdell on bass and percussion plus Edgar Doumerc on drum kit, vocals and percussion. That’s a lot of singing and percussion in one band.

The band likes to say that they, “Combines Malian roots with a Pan African fusion of Jazz, Afro Beat, Blues, Funk, and Electronic space folk/groove.” If that isn’t a Melting Pot band, then there never was one.

Dusu Mali Band’s sound is expansive, poly-rhythmic, and melodic, weaving soulful guitars, hypnotic bass, and pulsing African percussion. The word “Dusu” translates to “gentle heart” and the band strives to bring joy and unity with sound and dance.
They also say:
Dusu Mali Band has performed at a number of music festivals and venues including Joshua Tree Music Festival, Seattle World Rhythm Festival, 3DFestival, Culture Works, Ashkenaz, and Roseland Theater, among others. In the past year, the band has opened up for Malian Legends Tinariwen and Vieux Farka Toure, and has played alongside a wide range of acts including Orgone, Gaudi, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Midnite, and Wunmi.
Some believe that the roots of the music Africans brought with them in slave ships came from Mali. That may or may not be myth, at minimum it’s simple and glib, but there’s some truth to it.
In his OMN review of Tinariwen last June, John Henry Dale said:
Dusu Mali Band, is actually fronted by Toure’s nephew, Ibrahim Kelly, who lives here in Portland. Dusu Mali Band played a well-received, uptempo set and were probably the most appropriate opening band that Portland could possibly have produced for this concert. Expect to hear much more from them in the near future.
There have been many great musical experiences involving African music at the Goodfoot over the years. When Jujuba plays the place is packed. This one’s the first of the new decade. It’s good to sweat in the middle of winter. Dusu Mali Band will accomplish that for you. - Oregon Music News

The first thing anyone learns about the Dusu Mali Band is that it is led by native Malian Ibrahim Kelly who is nephew of Ali Farka Toure.
The second thing you should learn is when and where they’re performing. That would be Thursday, January 6 at the Goodfoot Lounge, 9pm, $6.
In addition to Kelly on guitar, vocals and Djembe, there are Tah Rei on keys, woodwinds, vocals and percussion; Tyler Smith on guitar, Djembe, vocals and percussion; Mikey Lobdell on bass and percussion plus Edgar Doumerc on drum kit, vocals and percussion. That’s a lot of singing and percussion in one band.

The band likes to say that they, “Combines Malian roots with a Pan African fusion of Jazz, Afro Beat, Blues, Funk, and Electronic space folk/groove.” If that isn’t a Melting Pot band, then there never was one.

Dusu Mali Band’s sound is expansive, poly-rhythmic, and melodic, weaving soulful guitars, hypnotic bass, and pulsing African percussion. The word “Dusu” translates to “gentle heart” and the band strives to bring joy and unity with sound and dance.
They also say:
Dusu Mali Band has performed at a number of music festivals and venues including Joshua Tree Music Festival, Seattle World Rhythm Festival, 3DFestival, Culture Works, Ashkenaz, and Roseland Theater, among others. In the past year, the band has opened up for Malian Legends Tinariwen and Vieux Farka Toure, and has played alongside a wide range of acts including Orgone, Gaudi, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Midnite, and Wunmi.
Some believe that the roots of the music Africans brought with them in slave ships came from Mali. That may or may not be myth, at minimum it’s simple and glib, but there’s some truth to it.
In his OMN review of Tinariwen last June, John Henry Dale said:
Dusu Mali Band, is actually fronted by Toure’s nephew, Ibrahim Kelly, who lives here in Portland. Dusu Mali Band played a well-received, uptempo set and were probably the most appropriate opening band that Portland could possibly have produced for this concert. Expect to hear much more from them in the near future.
There have been many great musical experiences involving African music at the Goodfoot over the years. When Jujuba plays the place is packed. This one’s the first of the new decade. It’s good to sweat in the middle of winter. Dusu Mali Band will accomplish that for you. - Oregon Music News

The dense forest of African music is thick with towering, sturdy family trees, and few, if any, are as productive as the one rooted in the late, legendary Malian bluesman Ali Farka Toure.

His son, Vieux Farka Toure, is following in his dad’s footsteps as one of the most prominent young African musicians on the planet. And his nephew, Ibrahim Kelly, leads Dusu Mali Band, a Portland-based Afro-fusion jam band that will play Silver Moon Brewing & Taproom Saturday night.

Dusu Mali incorporates its share of Western style into its endlessly engaging music; driving funk, electronic groove and wandering jams all find a home in the band’s sound. But Kelly and his band mates always keep one foot firmly planted in the hypnotic, polyrhythmic traditions of West Africa, where criss-crossing guitars and undulating percussion have been making folks dance for centuries.

Over the past several years, Malian musicians have made some of the world’s most beautiful music, but chances to hear it don’t roll through Bend that often. Visit www.myspace.com/dusumaliband for a primer on Dusu Mali, and then don’t miss them at Silver Moon. - Bend Bulletin

The dense forest of African music is thick with towering, sturdy family trees, and few, if any, are as productive as the one rooted in the late, legendary Malian bluesman Ali Farka Toure.

His son, Vieux Farka Toure, is following in his dad’s footsteps as one of the most prominent young African musicians on the planet. And his nephew, Ibrahim Kelly, leads Dusu Mali Band, a Portland-based Afro-fusion jam band that will play Silver Moon Brewing & Taproom Saturday night.

Dusu Mali incorporates its share of Western style into its endlessly engaging music; driving funk, electronic groove and wandering jams all find a home in the band’s sound. But Kelly and his band mates always keep one foot firmly planted in the hypnotic, polyrhythmic traditions of West Africa, where criss-crossing guitars and undulating percussion have been making folks dance for centuries.

Over the past several years, Malian musicians have made some of the world’s most beautiful music, but chances to hear it don’t roll through Bend that often. Visit www.myspace.com/dusumaliband for a primer on Dusu Mali, and then don’t miss them at Silver Moon. - Bend Bulletin