(African, Blues, World) [WEB] Boubacar Traore (ft Ballake Sissoke, Vincent Bucher) - Mbalimaou - 2014, FLAC (tracks), lossless

Бубакар Траоре (род. в 1942 году, в г. Каес, Мали) - известный африканский блюзмен, гитарист и певец по прозвищу “Kar Kar” («тот, кто ведёт слишком быстро мяч»). Он впервые стал известен еще в 60-е годы. Тогда почти все жители Мали просыпались под голос радио-диджея Бубакара Траоре, поющего о свободе. Многие в Мали до сих пор помнят, как они танцевали под хиты Бубакара.

Бубакар самостоятельно научился играть на гитаре и позже создал стиль музыки, в котором смешивались блюз, арабская музыка и музыка кассонки (национальная музыка Мали). Имя Траоре стало очень популярным в Мали и прежде всего было связано с борьбой за независимость страны в тот период. Однако певец не сотрудничал со студиями звукозаписи и не подписывал контрактов ни с одним лейблом, а потому не получал проценты с продаж своих альбомов, жил в бедности, перебиваясь случайными заработками. Со временем, поскольку его музыка звучала только на радио и никаких доходов не приносила, он вынужден был оставить музыкальную карьеру, чтобы стать портным и коммивояжёром.

Спустя несколько лет его постигло несчастье: умерла его любимая жена Пьерретта. Отчаявшийся Бубакар со своими шестью детьми переехал во Францию, где работал строителем, а по выходным выступал в приютах для иммигрантов. В Мали же все решили, что Бубакар умер. Годы спустя музыкальный продюсер обнаружил старые радиозаписи Бубакара, которые тут же перезаписали в студийных условиях. Так в 1990 году вышел первый альбом Траоре «Mariama», а музыкант стал гастролировать по Африке, Европе и Северной Америке.

В 2005 году вышел фильм о жизни певца «Je chanterai pour toi» (“Я буду петь для Вас”), в котором появились и другие знаменитые малийскоие исполнители: Али Фарка Туре, Надиейе Нианг, Баллаке Сиссоко, Малик Сидибе.

Boubacar Traoré (born 1942 in Kayes, Mali) is a renowned singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Traoré also goes by the nickname Kar Kar, "the one who dribbles too much" in Bambara, a reference to his soccer playing: "a nickname I got from playing soccer when I was young. People would yell 'Kari, Kari' - dribble, dribble - the name stuck with me".

Traoré first came to prominence in the early 1960s. He had taught himself to play guitar and developed a unique style that blended American Blues music, Arab music, and pentatonic structures found in West Africa's Mande cultural region. He was a superstar in Mali and a symbol of the newly independent country (see History of Mali). His songs were immensely popular and he enjoyed regular radio play. However, he made no recordings, and since there were no royalties paid to musicians, he was very poor and had to work odd jobs to make ends meet.

In 1968, when Moussa Traoré overthrew Malian president Modibo Keïta, Boubacar Traoré, widely seen as an artist associated with the previous regime, disappeared from the airwaves. During the 1970s Traoré's popularity faded, until a surprise television appearance in 1987. Soon after this "rediscovery," Boubacar's wife died during childbirth. Grief-stricken, he moved to France and did construction work to support his six children. While there, a British record producer discovered a tape of one of Traoré's radio performances, and he was finally signed to a record deal. His first album, Mariama, was released in 1990. Since then, Traoré has enjoyed international popularity, touring Europe, Africa, and North America.

Boubacar figures in the book Mali Blues (Lonely Planet, Australia), by Belgian writer Lieve Joris. The book inspired Swiss film director Jacques Sarasin for the 2001 film Je chanterai pour toi ("I'll Sing For You") about Boubacar, released on DVD in 2005. Along with several blues artists, he appeared in the film Blues Road Movie (Au Coeur du Blues) by Louis Mouchet (2001).

Boubacar then released “Kongo Magni” (Marabi, 2005), produced by Christian Mousset, director of the Festival Musiques Métisses d’Angoulême (Angoulême Cross-Cultural Music Festival), who would also produce his “Mali Denhou” (Lusafrica, 2010). Kar Kar made up for lost time with acclaimed live performances around Europe and then the United States and Canada. His new album, “Mbalimaou” (My Brothers), due for release in January 2015.

Discography

Mariama (1990)
Kar Kar (1992)
Les Enfants de Pierrette (1995)
Sa Golo (1996)
Maciré (2000)
Je chanterai pour toi (2003)
The Best of Boubacar Traoré: The Bluesman from Mali (2003)
Kongo Magni (2005)
Mali Denhou (2011)
Mbalimaou (2014)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boubacar_Traor%C3%A9

Recorded at the Bogolan studios in Bamako,Mbalimaouis Boubacar Traoré’s latest album and a new milestone in the work of this extraordinary but modest artist. A universally respected musician, he is one of the last great performers to have begun his career in the early days of Malian independence. His blues-flavored folk, unique, emotion-filled timbre and inimitable guitar style, and the poetry that pervades his songs, have all matured over the years. Now in his seventies, Boubacar Traoré has successfully preserved and enriched all the key elements of his individual style and musical culture: great elegance, delightful simplicity and the serenity and soberness that are the hallmarks of a great artist.

Always sincere, sometimes heartrending, subtle and soothing, Mbalimaouis full of the gentle swing, poetry and grace that have come to typify the man respectfully known to the people of Mali as Kar Kar.

His life has had more than its share of setbacks, misfortunes and tragedies, but they have been a source of inspiration to the bluesman born in Kayes, a city on the Senegal in Northwest Mali. Today, he lives in Bamako near the Niger, the great, legendary river of West Africa, flowing majestically like the love that so often metaphorically waters the words of Kar Kar’s songs. The musician also holds up a mirror to the everyday world of Mali’s inhabitants, who can trace their country’s history back to the 12th century. Founded by Soundiata Keita, the Mandingo Empire brought together many different peoples (Malinke, Bambara, Fula, Songhai, Tuareg, Moor, Soninke and others), who –despite the vicissitudes of history –still populate this vast nation between Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa. However, while
Boubacar Traoré continues to steep himself in Mandingo culture and tradition, he is a very modern, creative contemporary artist, open to the world.

As with each new recording, he has added new, different touches to his music, but without losing sight of the basics that make up his supremely distinctive style. Accompanied by discreet percussion –from the young Babah Koné, precise and steady on the gourd, Yacouba Sissoko on the karignan, shaker and small traditional percussion instruments, and Fabrice Thompson, a drummer and percussionist from Guiana, who seasons tracks that includeHona, Mbalimaou, Kolo Tigi, Saya Temokotoand Africawith a heady mix of spice and original beats, Boubacar weaves gloriously simple patterns of guitar and inimitable vocals into these new songs, written whenever he could spare a moment between laboring in the fields and touring internationally.

Ballaké Sissoko, a musician he has worked with before, has always been a fan. He joined in the album’s artistic production and his playing fits easily and comfortably into the elder man’s music. Ballake’s generosity, open-mindedness and responsiveness did a lot to create a relaxed, positive atmosphere during the sessions. His subtle, elegant kora perfectly complements the guitarist’s fluid, minimalist approach. The two instrumental tracks – Sina Mousso Djougouand especially the beautiful Bougoudani –are perfect examples of this. No effects, no pathos, just the joy of improvising on Kar Kar’s simple, profound melodies.

For Mariama, Ballaké brought in Vincent Bucher, whose haunting harmonica adds a moving dash of blues to the song that made Boubacar a household name. It is a fabulous cover of the classic. The years have been kind to Kar Kar’s magnificent, gravelly, poignant voice. He may even be a better singer now than he was in his youth.

The talents of Vincent Bucher, who has performed live with Boubacar for years, are put to remarkable use on Hona, a fantastic blues lowdown. Kar Kar’s guitar sounds like it never has before. The two are also in great form on the sunny, swinging version of Africa, the song that usually closes Boubacar’s concerts. On Bembalisso, Vincent again makes an outstanding contribution, as does an n'goni player discovered by Ballaké: Oumar Barou Kouyaté (who was also Bassékou Kouyaté’s pupil and a member of his group). The n’goni in the highly lyrical Dounia Djanjo, which opens the album, is a key instrument in Mandingo music. It
blends perfectly (for the first time) into Kar Kar’s poetic songs, especially Sagnon Moni, a lighter piece where young Oumar’s smooth, graceful performance works wonders.

On Mbalimaou and Saya Temokoto, Boubacar brought in Soumaïla Diabaté on the sokou (a traditional one-string violin), lending a new sound and hypnotic groove to the two tracks.

Infused with nostalgia and melancholy, Mbalimaou is a record of great depth, one of the finest in this unique artist’s long career.

Boubacar Traoré - Guitar, Vocal
Ballaké Sissoko - Kora
Vincent Bucher - Harmonica
Soumaila Diabaté - Sokou (traditional one-string violin)
Oumar Barou Kouyaté - N’goni (Mandingo plucked lute)
Babh Koné - Percussion (gourd)
Yacouba Sissoko - Shakers
Fabrice Thompson - Drums

Produced by Ballaké Sissoko and Christian Mousset