Bombino

Line up:

Goumour “Bombino” Almoctar – guitar and vocals
Anass Almahamoud – bass
Corey Wilhelm – percussion
Kawissan Mohamed Alhassan – guitar

Omara “Bombino” Moctar – also known as the Jimi Hendrix of the desert – is finally returning to Cosmopolite! The Nigerien guitarist and singer is a living legend of desert blues and continues to be celebrated as one of the greatest guitarists in the world.

Bombino has performed at Cosmopolite six times before, including a memorable concert with Knut Reiersrud, and each time he has mesmerized the audience with his hypnotic playing style and unmatched stage presence. Now he returns with his seventh album, “Sahel” – a deeply personal and political work that showcases the full spectrum of Bombino’s artistry.

“Sahel’s Jimi Hendrix” – The New York Times

“The Sultan of Shred” – The New York Times

“A culturally rich innovation” – CultFollowing

Born into a nomadic Tuareg community outside Agadez, Bombino grew up surrounded by political unrest and exile, but found his path through music. He taught himself guitar by watching videos of Jimi Hendrix, Ali Farka Touré, and Tinariwen – and today, musicians around the world are learning from him.

Through albums such as Agadez, Nomad, Azel, and Deran (Grammy-nominated for Best World Music Album), Bombino has created his own musical universe – a place where traditional Tuareg rhythm meets modern rock, blues, and reggae. On Sahel, he goes even deeper, singing about his homeland, his children, and the Tuareg struggle, with songs that pulse with pain, pride, and hope.

Bombino’s guitar playing is lightning-fast, elastic, and meditative – with trance-inducing repetitions that break into sublime solos. His music carries both power and vulnerability, and on stage he lifts the audience into the timeless energy of the desert.

Prepare for an evening of warm rhythms and hypnotic desert blues as Bombino once again takes the stage at Cosmopolite on March 21.