Tuareg guitarist, singer, and songwriter Bombino's Nonesuch debut album, Nomad, is due out next week. But you don't need to wait till then to hear it: it's streaming in full all this week as an NPR First Listen. NPR calls Bombino's pairing with producer Dan Auerbach "inspired." "The fuzzy, loose and wide-open sounds will be familiar to Black Keys fans—and totally complement the singular honey-and-sand texture of Bombino's voice," says NPR; Bombino's "sound and style are alluring on a global scale." Nomad earns four stars in Mojo and the Financial Times, which calls it "a revelation." The BBC World Service says it's “utterly, utterly fantastic.” 

Record Store Day, the annual celebration of the unique culture surrounding over 1,000 independently owned record stores in the US and hundreds internationally, is set to take place on Saturday, April 20, and included among the special limited-edition releases on that day are vinyl recordings from The Black Keys, Bombino, Iron and Wine, and Punch Brothers.

The line-up for the 2013 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival has been announced, and included among this year's performers are four artists familiar to readers of the Nonesuch Journal: Björk, Amadou & Mariam, Bombino, and Fatoumata Diawara. The four-day festival takes place in Manchester, Tennessee, and runs June 13–16. Tickets go on sale Saturday, February 23, at noon EST.

Nonesuch Records will release Nomad, from the Tuareg guitarist, singer, and songwriter Omara “Bombino” Moctar, on April 2. At the invitation of The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, the Niger-born artist and his band traveled to Nashville for the recording, helmed by Auerbach at his studio, Easy Eye Sound. A pre-order of Nomad on CD and vinyl is available now in the Nonesuch Store and includes an instant download of the album track “Azamane Tiliade.” (Watch a trailer with the track here.) Bombino will embark on a US tour this May, and will perform at a number of major North American festivals this summer.

Carnegie Hall has announced its 2013–14 season, and featured among the performers taking the esteemed hall's stages are a number of artists familiar to readers of the Nonesuch Journal, including Chris Thile, Bombino, Kronos Quartet, Natalie Merchant, and Richard Goode, as well as performances of works by John Adams, Steve Reich, Laurie Anderson, and more.

Tuareg guitarist and singer Omara “Bombino” Moctar—whose Dan Auerbach-produced Nonesuch debut album is due out in early 2013—is raising money via Indiegogo to furnish a community rehearsal and performance studio in his hometown of Niamey, Niger, where fully equipped rehearsal spaces are virtually non-existent or inaccessible to most musicians. This will be a free, public rehearsal space for young musicians to develop their craft and Niamey's professional musicians to hone theirs. Thank-you gifts include an autographed copy of Bombino's forthcoming album, concert tickets, and more.

Tuareg guitarist and singer Omara “Bombino” Moctar has recorded a new album with producer Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, which will be released in early 2013 on Nonesuch Records. Bombino and his band traveled to Nashville over the summer to record in Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound in Nashville. Further details about the album and its release will be announced shortly, as will upcoming festival and tour dates.