Senegalese Music
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Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...
's
music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...
is best known abroad due to the popularity of
mbalax Mbalax (or mbalakh) is the urban dance music of Senegal, Mauritania and the Gambia. The musical style is rooted in the indigenous instrumental and vocal styles accompanied by polyrhythmic sabar drumming of the Wolof, a social identity that incl ...
, a development of conservative music from different ethnic groups and ''
sabar The sabar is a traditional drum from Senegal that is also played in the Gambia. It is associated with Wolof and Serer people. The drum is generally played with one hand and one stick or "galan". There are many different kinds of sabar, ea ...
'' drumming popularized internationally by
Youssou N'Dour Youssou N'Dour (, ; also known as Youssou Madjiguène Ndour; born 1 October 1959) is a Senegalese singer, songwriter, musician, composer, occasional actor, businessman, and politician. In 2004, ''Rolling Stone'' described him as, "perhaps the m ...
.


Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...
ese Musical Instruments


List

* Bomvola * Ilulam * Tuga Carat * ooga * Gahtim * Kghvawasi * Ghata * Sirom * Xylophone (Around Senegal Brazil China Sudan Ecuador) * Zazoli *bolbia * Tam Tam


National music

During the colonial ages Senegal was colonized by
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and many, though not all, Senegalese identified as French instead of any African ethnicity. Post-independence, the philosophy of negritude arose, which espoused the idea that the ''
griot A griot (; ; Manding languages, Manding: or (in N'Ko script, N'Ko: , or in French spelling); also spelt Djali; or / ; ) is a West African historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet, and/or musician. Griots are masters of communicatin ...
'' traditions of Senegal were as valid, classical and meaningful as French
classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be #Relationship to other music traditions, distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical mu ...
. The first
President of Senegal The president of Senegal () is the head of state of Senegal. In accordance with the 2001 Senegalese constitutional referendum, constitutional reform of 2001 and since a 2016 Senegalese constitutional referendum, referendum that took place on 20 ...
,
Léopold Sédar Senghor Léopold Sédar Senghor ( , , ; 9 October 1906 – 20 December 2001) was a Senegalese politician, cultural theorist and poet who served as the first president of Senegal from 1960 to 1980. Ideologically an African socialist, Senghor was one ...
(also a poet) was one of the primary exponents of this. The national anthem of Senegal, ''"Pincez tous vos koras, frappez les balafons"'' ("Pluck all your koras, strike the
balafon The balafon (pronounced , or, by analogy with ''xylophone'' etc., ) is a gourd-resonated xylophone, a type of struck idiophone. It is closely associated with the neighbouring Mandé peoples, Mandé, Bwaba Bobo people, Bobo, Senufo people, Seno ...
s"), was adopted in 1960. Its lyrics, by president Senghor, refer to Senegalese music tradition, while its music was composed by
Herbert Pepper Herbert Pepper (14 November 1912 – 22 February 2000) was a French songwriter. Born in Brest, he was the main composer of the national anthem of Senegal, "Le Lion rouge", and that of the Central African Republic, "La Renaissance". He also se ...
( fr).


Traditional music

Ethnically the population of Senegal is 41.3%
Wolof Wolof or Wollof may refer to: * Wolof people, an ethnic group found in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania * Wolof language, a language spoken in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania * The Wolof or Jolof Empire, a medieval West African successor of the Mal ...
, 17.8%
Fula Fula may refer to: *Fula people (or Fulani, Fulɓe) *Fula language (or Pulaar, Fulfulde, Fulani) **The Fula variety known as the Pulaar language **The Fula variety known as the Pular language **The Fula variety known as Maasina Fulfulde *Fula alpha ...
, 14.7% Serer, 4.9%
Mandinka Mandinka, Mandika, Mandinkha, Mandinko, or Mandingo may refer to: Media * Mandingo (novel), ''Mandingo'' (novel), a bestselling novel published in 1957 * Mandingo (film), ''Mandingo'' (film), a 1975 film based on the eponymous 1957 novel * ''Man ...
, 3.7% Jola and 2.1% Soninka, with 1% European and Lebanese and 6.4% classed as "other" Senegalese music has been influenced by its different ethnic groups and griots. It tends to be fast and lively whereas the lyrics are in classical Wolof with rhythms used in ''
sabar The sabar is a traditional drum from Senegal that is also played in the Gambia. It is associated with Wolof and Serer people. The drum is generally played with one hand and one stick or "galan". There are many different kinds of sabar, ea ...
'' music of the
Serer people The Serer people (''Serer language, Serer proper'': Seereer or Sereer) are a West African ethnoreligious groupGastellu, Jean-Marc, ''Petit traité de matrilinarité. L'accumulation dans deux sociétés rurales d'Afrique de l'Ouest'', Cahiers ORST ...
of the
Kingdom of Sine The Kingdom of Sine (or Siin in Serer, variations: ''Sin'' or ''Siine'') was a post-classical Serer kingdom along the north bank of the Saloum River delta in modern Senegal. Toponymy and Demonym During the Guelowar Era the region was named a ...
and spread to the
Kingdom of Saloum The Kingdom of Saloum (Serer language, Serer: ''Saluum'' or ''Saalum'') was a Serer people, Serer monarchy, kingdom in present-day Senegal and parts of Gambia. The precolonial capital was the city of Kahone. Re-established in 2017, Saloum is now ...
whence Wolof migrants brought it to the Wolof kingdoms. The ''Nder'' (lead drum), ''
Sabar The sabar is a traditional drum from Senegal that is also played in the Gambia. It is associated with Wolof and Serer people. The drum is generally played with one hand and one stick or "galan". There are many different kinds of sabar, ea ...
'' (rhythm drum), and '' Tama'' (talking drum) percussion section traces some of its technique to the ritual music of ''
Njuup The Njuup tradition is a Serer style of music rooted in the Ndut initiation rite, which is a rite of passage that young Serers must go through once in their lifetime as commanded in the Serer religion. The Culture trip "Youssou N'Dour: An Unlik ...
''.Ferloo
/ref> The Serer people infuse their everyday language with complex overlapping cadences and their ritual with intense collaborative layerings of voice and rhythm."Ali Colleen Neff. Tassou: the Ancient Spoken Word of African Women. 2010. The ''Njuup'' was also the progenitor of ''Tassu'', used when chanting ancient religious verses. The griots of Senegambia still use it at marriages, naming ceremonies or when singing the praises of patrons. Most Senegalese and Gambian artists use it in their songs. Each motif has a purpose and is used for different occasions. Individual motifs may represent the
history History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the Human history, human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some t ...
and
genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...
of a particular family and are used during weddings, naming ceremonies, funerals etc.


Popular music after independence


1950s and 1960s

Prior to independence, Senegalese popular music consisted of nightclub dance bands ('' orchestres'') that played European music, namely American and French songs. As independence approached and the country sought to move away from its colonial past, the popular music of Senegal began to be influenced by the Cuban music that was becoming popular throughout Africa. Ibra Kasse's
Star Band Star Band is a music group from Senegal that was the resident band of Dakar's ''Miami Club''. They, along with the many off-shoots of the band, are responsible for many of the crucial developments in Senegalese popular music. They were formed in 1 ...
was the most famous orchestra of the 1960s and 1970s and was a leader in the modernization of Senegalese music. Super Star de Dakar, led by Nigerian saxophonist, Dexter Johnson, spun off from the Star Band and was the other leading band in Dakar in the 1960s. Both played a style that was heavily influenced by Cuban music but had elements of traditional African music. The south of Senegal, called
Casamance Casamance is the area of Senegal south of the Gambia, including the Casamance River. It consists of the Lower Casamance (, —i.e. Ziguinchor Region) and the Upper Casamance (, —i.e. Kolda and Sédhiou Regions). The largest city of Casamance ...
, has a strong Mandinka minority, and began producing masters of the kora in the late 1950s. The band
Touré Kunda Touré Kunda is a Senegalese band, noted for their musical versatility and political activism. Their 40-year career encompasses recordings in over six languages and collaborations with well-known musicians such as Carlos Santana and Talking Head ...
was the most popular group to arise from this scene, and they soon began playing large concerts across the world.


1970s and 1980s

The 1970s saw the increased influence of traditional Senegalese music. Traditional drums like the
saber A sabre or saber ( ) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the Early Modern warfare, early modern and Napoleonic period, Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such a ...
and the tama were introduced by leading orchestras and the music progressed over the decade from predominately Latin-influenced to the Senegalese style known as
Mbalax Mbalax (or mbalakh) is the urban dance music of Senegal, Mauritania and the Gambia. The musical style is rooted in the indigenous instrumental and vocal styles accompanied by polyrhythmic sabar drumming of the Wolof, a social identity that incl ...
. The Star Band and three of its off-shoots from the 1970s were important in the evolution of the music. In 1970,
Orchestra Baobab Orchestra Baobab is a Senegalese band established in 1970 as the house band of the Baobab Club in Dakar. Many of the band's original members had previously played with Star Band de Dakar in the 1960s. Directed by '' timbalero'' and vocalist Ball ...
broke away from the Star Band followed by No. One de Dakar in 1976. All three bands were notable for their integration of traditional musical styles into the common Latin dance styles of the Senegalese nightclub bands of the time. In the town of
Thiès Thiès (; ; Noon language, Noon: ''Chess'') is the third largest city in Senegal with a population of 391,253 in 2023. It lies east of Dakar on the N2 road (Senegal), N2 road and at the junction of railway lines to Dakar, Bamako and Saint-Louis, ...
, Royal Band de Thiès and Dieuf Dieul de Thiès are also considered influential in the evolution of Senegalese popular music. In 1977, the entire rhythm section and many other performers in the Star Band left to form
Étoile de Dakar Étoile de Dakar (“Star of Dakar”) were a leading music group of Senegal in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Youssou N'Dour was one of the singers in the band and the band was a major part of N'Dour's rise to stardom in Senegal. The group was ...
, who are often considered the first band to play Mbalax. They quickly eclipsed their compatriots, launching the careers of El Hadji Faye and
Youssou N'Dour Youssou N'Dour (, ; also known as Youssou Madjiguène Ndour; born 1 October 1959) is a Senegalese singer, songwriter, musician, composer, occasional actor, businessman, and politician. In 2004, ''Rolling Stone'' described him as, "perhaps the m ...
. Faye and N'Dour were Senegal's first pop stars, but the stress of fame soon drove the band apart. Faye and guitarist Badou N'diaye formed
Étoile 2000 Étoile may refer to: Places ;France * Charles de Gaulle – Étoile, station of the Paris Métro * Étoile-Saint-Cyrice, commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in France * Étoile-sur-Rhône, commune in the Drôme department in France * L'Étoil ...
, releasing a hit with "Boubou N'Gary", but soon disappearing after three similar-sounding albums. N'Dour and other members of
Étoile de Dakar Étoile de Dakar (“Star of Dakar”) were a leading music group of Senegal in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Youssou N'Dour was one of the singers in the band and the band was a major part of N'Dour's rise to stardom in Senegal. The group was ...
became known as
Super Étoile de Dakar Super may refer to: Computing * SUPER (computer program), or Simplified Universal Player Encoder & Renderer, a video converter/player * Super (computer science), a keyword in object-oriented programming languages * Super key (keyboard button) ...
and released four albums within a few months.
Super Étoile de Dakar Super may refer to: Computing * SUPER (computer program), or Simplified Universal Player Encoder & Renderer, a video converter/player * Super (computer science), a keyword in object-oriented programming languages * Super key (keyboard button) ...
evolved into N'Dour's backing band. He was soon by far the most popular performer in the country, and perhaps in all of West Africa. He introduced more traditional elements to his Senegalized Cuban music, including traditional
rapping Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates " rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backin ...
( tassou),
njuup The Njuup tradition is a Serer style of music rooted in the Ndut initiation rite, which is a rite of passage that young Serers must go through once in their lifetime as commanded in the Serer religion. The Culture trip "Youssou N'Dour: An Unlik ...
, bakou music (a kind of trilling that accompanies Serer
wrestling Wrestling is a martial art, combat sport, and form of entertainment that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves di ...
) and instruments like the
sabar The sabar is a traditional drum from Senegal that is also played in the Gambia. It is associated with Wolof and Serer people. The drum is generally played with one hand and one stick or "galan". There are many different kinds of sabar, ea ...
. While N'Dour and others Africanized Cuban music, another influential band,
Xalam Xalam (in Serer, khalam in Wolof, and Mɔɣlo in Dagbanli) is a traditional lute from West Africa with 1 to 5 strings. The xalam is commonly played in Mali, Gambia, Senegal, Niger, Northern Nigeria, Northern Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mauritania ...
, was doing the same with American
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
and
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
. They formed in 1970, led then by drummer Prosper Niang, but their controversial lyrics and unfamiliar jazz sound led to a lack of popularity, and the group moved to Paris in 1973. There, they added
Jean-Philippe Rykiel Jean-Philippe Rykiel (born 1961) is a French composer, arranger, and musician, primarily a keyboard player. He has been blind since his birth, a result of negligence in the hospital incubator, and is the son of fashion designer Sonia Rykiel. Disc ...
on keyboards. Xalam toured with groups such as
Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...
and
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) was a folk rock Supergroup (music), supergroup comprising the American singer-songwriters David Crosby and Stephen Stills and the English-American singer-songwriter Graham Nash. When joined by the Canadian singer-so ...
, finally achieving success in Senegal with 1988's '' Xarit''. In the latter part of the 1970s, the band
Super Diamono Super Diamono was a ten-member band from Dakar, Senegal. It was formed in 1974 or 1975.Senegal 7, ''Anniversaire : Omar Pène souffle sur ses 63 bougies ce 28 décembre'', by Ibrahima Ka (December 28, 2019(retrieved February 13, 2020) Omar Pene wa ...
formed, fusing mbalax rhythms and militant populism with jazz and
reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica during the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its Jamaican diaspora, diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, "Do the Reggay", was the first ...
influences. Their 1982 '' Jigenu Ndakaru'' was especially popular. By the middle of the 1980s, Super Diamono was one of the top bands in Senegal, in close and fierce competition with Super Étoile de Dakar. The band's popularity declined, however, slowed somewhat by
Omar Pene Omar Pene (born 28 December 1955) is a Senegalese vocalist and composer, who is the lead singer of Super Diamono, and is now a solo artist. Career Omar Pene was born in the working-class neighborhood of Derkle in Dakar into a wolof family. H ...
's reformation in 1991.


1990s to the present

Into the 1990s,
Thione Seck Thione Ballago Seck (March 12, 1955 – March 14, 2021) was a Senegalese singer and songwriter in the mbalakh genre. Seck came from a family of griot singers from the Wolof people of Senegal. He first performed with Orchestre Baobab, but he la ...
, a griot descended from those of
Lat Dior Lat Jor Ngoné Latir Jop (; ; c. 1842–1886) was a nineteenth-century damel (king) of Cayor, a Wolof state that is today in Sénégal. He is today a national hero of Senegal for his resistance to French colonialism. Ancestry Lat Jor was the so ...
, the king of Kayor, arose to solo stardome from
Orchestra Baobab Orchestra Baobab is a Senegalese band established in 1970 as the house band of the Baobab Club in Dakar. Many of the band's original members had previously played with Star Band de Dakar in the 1960s. Directed by '' timbalero'' and vocalist Ball ...
, eventually forming his own band called Raam Daan (''crawl slowly towards your goal''). He used electric instruments on many popular releases, especially '' Diongoma'' and '' Demb''. The same period saw the rise of
Ismael Lô Ismael may refer to: People * Ismael Khalid (born 2000), American live-streamer known as Johnny Somali * Ismael Balkhi, political activist from Afghanistan * Ismael Blanco (born 1983), Argentine professional footballer * Ismael Prego, Spanish Yo ...
, a member of Super Diamono, who had major hits, including "Attaya", "Ceddo" and "Jele bi".
Baaba Maal Baaba Maal (, born 13 June 1953) is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several albums, both for independent and major labels. In July ...
is another popular Senegalese singer. He is from
Podor Podor ( Wolof: Podoor) is the northernmost town in Senegal, lying on Morfil Island between the Sénégal River and Doué River on the border with Mauritania. It was the location of the ancient state Takrur. It is home to a ruined French colon ...
and won a scholarship to study music in Paris. After returning, he studied traditional music with his blind guitarist and family griot,
Mansour Seck Mansour Seck (12 May 1955 – 29 May 2024) was a Senegalese singer and musician best known for his collaboration with lifelong friend Baaba Maal. He has also toured and released several solo albums. Seck was blind. Biography Seck was born into ...
, and began performing with the band Daande Lenol. His ''
Djam Leelii ''Djam Leelii'' is the first collaborative studio album by the Senegalese musicians Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck, released in 1989. It was recorded in 1984. A 1998 reissue from Palm Records raised the number of tracks to twelve. Critical recepti ...
'', recorded in 1984, became a critical sensation in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
after it was released there in 1989. Maal's fusions continued into the next decade, with his ''
Firin' in Fouta ''Firin' in Fouta'' is an album by the Senegalese singer Baaba Maal, released in 1994. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best World Music Album" category. Maal supported the album with a North American tour. Production The alb ...
'' (1994) album, which used
ragga Raggamuffin music (or simply ragga) is a subgenre of dancehall and reggae music. The instrumentals primarily consist of electronic music with heavy use of sampling. Wayne Smith's " Under Mi Sleng Teng", produced by King Jammy in 1985 on a ...
,
salsa Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (food), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: Arts and ent ...
and Breton harp music to create a popular sound that launched the careers of
Positive Black Soul Positive Black Soul (also known as PBS) is a hip hop group based in Dakar, Senegal, one of the first such collectives in the country. Founded in 1989, the group is composed of Didier Sourou Awadi (alias DJ Awadi) and Amadou Barry (alias Doug E. ...
, a group of rappers, and also led to the formation of the Afro-Celt Sound System. His fusion tendencies continued on 1998's ''
Nomad Soul ''The Nomad Soul'' (known as ''Omikron: The Nomad Soul'' in North America) is an adventure game developed by Quantic Dream and published by Eidos Interactive. It was released for Microsoft Windows in 1999 and Dreamcast in 2000. The player can ...
'', which featured
Brian Eno Brian Peter George Jean-Baptiste de la Salle Eno (, born 15 May 1948), also mononymously known as Eno, is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, visual artist, and activist. He is best known for his pioneering contributions to ambien ...
as one of seven
producers Producer(s), The Producer(s), or co-producer(s) may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *Producer, a stakeholder of economic production * Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes t ...
. Though female performers were achieving popular breakthroughs elsewhere in West Africa, Senegalese women had few opportunities before the 1990s. The first international release by a woman was "Cheikh Anta Mbacke" (1989) by Kiné Lam. The song's success led to a string of female performers, including Fatou Guewel, Madiodio Gning, Daro Mbaye and Khar Mbaye Madiaga. Lam, however, remained perhaps the most influential female musician of the 1990s, creating a modernized version of sabar ak xalam ensembles by adding bass guitar and synthesizer with 1993's ''Sunu Thiossane''. The release of Fatou Guewel's CD entitled 'Fatou' in 1998 was significantly influential for Mbalax; this is also the case with her band 'Groupe Sope Noreyni'. The new century has seen the rise of Viviane Ndour, who got her first break as a backing vocalist to Youssou Ndour with Super Etoile. She is well known in Senegal and the diaspora, collaborating with French rap star Mokobe and Zouk artist Philip Montiero and incorporating RnB, Hip-Hop and other elements into her own style of Mbalax. Acoustic folk music has also left its mark on Senegal's music culture. Artists that have contributed to this genre include TAMA from Rufisque, Pape Armand Boye, les Freres Guisse, Pape et Cheikh, and Cheikh Lo. The biggest trend in 1990s Senegal, however, was
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
. Traditional culture includes rapping traditions, such as the formal tassou, performed by women of the Laobe woodworking class the morning after marriages. Modern Senegalese hip hop is mostly in Wolof, alongside some English and French.
Positive Black Soul Positive Black Soul (also known as PBS) is a hip hop group based in Dakar, Senegal, one of the first such collectives in the country. Founded in 1989, the group is composed of Didier Sourou Awadi (alias DJ Awadi) and Amadou Barry (alias Doug E. ...
is the best-known group in the country, Daara j, Gokh-Bi System and Wageble too. Senegalese-French rapper
MC Solaar Claude Honoré M'Barali (; born 5 March 1969), professionally known as MC Solaar (), is a French rapping, rapper of Senegalese people, Senegalese and Chadian people, Chadian origin. He is one of France's most famous and influential hip hop musi ...
is a very well known musician. Senegalese born
Akon Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam (born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon (), is a Senegalese-United States, American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, businessman, and philanthropist. An influ ...
has risen to world fame. In 2008 English musician
Ramon Goose Ramon Goose (born 1975) is an English guitarist, singer and producer, known for his work with Ramon Goose & The Compadres, West African Blues Project and the hip hop blues band NuBlues, for his mastery of the slide guitar, and for producing albu ...
travelled to Dakar and collaborated with Senegalese
griot A griot (; ; Manding languages, Manding: or (in N'Ko script, N'Ko: , or in French spelling); also spelt Djali; or / ; ) is a West African historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet, and/or musician. Griots are masters of communicatin ...
Diabel Cissokho to record the album Mansana Blues which explores
African blues African blues is a genre of popular music, primarily from West Africa. The term may also reference a putative journey undertaken by traditional African music from its homeland to the United States and back. Some scholars and ethnomusicologists ...
& traditional West African styles, this led on to the formation of The West African Blues Project with
Touré Kunda Touré Kunda is a Senegalese band, noted for their musical versatility and political activism. Their 40-year career encompasses recordings in over six languages and collaborations with well-known musicians such as Carlos Santana and Talking Head ...
singer Modou Toure.


References


Sources

* Hudson, Mark, Jenny Cathcart and Lucy Duran. "Senegambian Stars Are Here to Stay". 2000. In Broughton, Simon and Ellingham, Mark with McConnachie, James and Duane, Orla (Ed.), ''World Music, Vol. 1: Africa, Europe and the Middle East'', pp 617–633. Rough Guides Ltd, Penguin Books.


External links

*
Audio clips: Traditional music of Senegal.
Musée d'ethnographie de Genève The ' ("Geneva Ethnography Museum") is one of the most important ethnographic museums in Switzerland. History The MEG, or Geneva Museum of Ethnography, was founded on 25 September 1901, on the initiative of Professor Eugène Pittard (1867-1962), ...
. Accessed November 25, 2010.
The Griot
Music Documentary about a griot musician
Ablaye Cissoko Ablaye Cissoko is a Senegalese musician, singer and composer, who plays the kora. Career As a solo musician, he has played live shows in several countries, including Portugal, France, Belgium, Senegal, Mali, Canada, Germany, Norway and Russia. ...

nationalgeographic.com - NGC's Senegal Music Page
{{Music of Africa Culture of Senegal