Vieux Farka Touré is affectionately known as "The Hendrix of the Sahara" - with good reason. His electric guitar-playing is as much a part of his live show as the Malian chant-like singing to which the audience swayed and bopped at his Bassline concert last Friday.

Standing behind a tall Malian national holding the reggae-coloured green, yellow and red flag of his home country, I let the soulful rhythms and guitar riffs wash over me, imagining I was dancing barefoot on the sand under a wide Malian sky.

Farka Touré was supported by Eastern Cape-born Bongeziwe Mabandla, whose blend of Afro-folk added local flavour to the evening.

Farka Touré is the son of the famous Ali, who apparently tried to discourage his son from joining the music industry.

Although he can't escape comparisons with his "axeman" of a father - confirmed by conversations I overheard at the concert - the young Farka Touré looked perfectly comfortable on stage.

It's as clear as day that he made the right decision by ignoring his father's advice.

Farka Touré's set at the Bassline built up in energy and pace, climaxing in an upbeat finale during which two scantily clad audience members went on stage to bump and grind, followed by the flag-bearing mammoth of a man.

Earlier in the set, Farka Touré's music invoked a summer's day in the heat of the desert - the melody of a single flute emerging.

Looking around me while Farka Touré finished his show, there were delighted smiles on the faces of his multicultural audience.

His exotic rhythms and spicy guitar-playing both charmed and relaxed us, leaving us with a musical dream of travelling through miles of beautiful desert.