Spotlight on the desert

Wherever they go, the band members try to raise awareness of Tuareg culture. Before each performance, the trio takes part in a one-hour workshop during which they respond spontaneously to questions from the audience, explaining the intricacies of the harmonies, scales and rhythm of Tuareg music.

“This music comes from the desert, where the horizon extends indefinitely. This has deeply influenced Tuareg music. It’s pure, it’s self-explanatory, it’s like a trance,” said Gratteau. “When we started we had difficulty understanding each other’s rhythm; but now we found our own polyrhythmic harmony.”

While always on the lookout for new influences, the band takes pride in remaining firmly grounded in their roots.

“We create our own songs, but we do it on a foundation of traditional music,” said Moussaoui. “We add our