Boubacar Traoré

Boubacar Traoré

Boubacar Traoré is one of the founders of modern Mandingo music. With a moving individuality, he knows how to express the African blues like no other. With inimitable guitar playing, which he taught himself and based on the way the West African string instrument the kora is played. While he is a living legend in Mali, respected by young and old, he reaches the entire world. Whereby his artistry is reminiscent of that of the great bluesmen from the deep south of America: Blind Willie McTell, Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters.

An unlikely career

In the early years of Mali's independence, 20-year-old Boubacar Traoré picked up his electric guitar and immediately voiced the sound of the young state. But after the military coup in 1968, his songs were banned and Traoré had to support his family by working as a farmer. In the eighties, Traoré ended up in Paris, where he earned a living as a construction worker. He finally made his musical comeback in 1990 and recorded six albums in quick succession. In this, the harmonica of Vincent Bucher, who is on stage next to Traoré in this concert, became the musical equal of Traoré's voice and guitar playing. Traoré is now praised as one of the founders and ambassadors of modern Mandingo music, which combines characteristic playing techniques and ideas from West Africa with the philosophy of the blues from the American South.

This spring, no fewer than three different African music legends will be coming to the Concertgebouw: in addition to Boubacar Traoré, these are Afel Bocoum, on 20 April in the Small Hall, and Salif Keita, on 27 May