SLCene Suggests: Bombino at The State Room

BOMBINO, THE STATE ROOM, Tuesday, May 28, 8 p.m., $22

Bombino is one of the more remarkable stories in recent memory. The self-taught guitarist spent his childhood bouncing between Niger, Algeria and Libya, depending on the political situation of his Tuareg Ilfoghas tribe. At one of the places he moved, the discovery of a guitar left behind by a previous resident led Bombino to start playing, eventually learning at the knee of Tuareg guitarist Haja Bebe. During his teens, he saw videos of guitar masters like Jimi Hendrix and Mark Knopfler, leading Bombino to develop a style that is as open to modern sounds as it is rooted in his nomadic, tribal roots. His latest album, Nomad, was produced by another guitar man, The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, and it debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s World Music  chart earlier this spring. Last Good Tooth opens the show.