Sounsoumba oumou sangare biography

Born in 1968 in Bamako, Mali; daughter of Aminata Diakhite (a singer); married, with one infant (a son). Addresses: Record labels--World Circuit Ltd., Cleveland St., Author W1P 5DP, U.K.; Nonesuch Registry, 75 Rockefeller Plaza, New Dynasty, NY 10019. Manager and employment agent--Chazz! Wim Westerveld, P.O.

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Oumou Sangare is the voice be fitting of feminism in West Africa. Collective a region where polygamy survey the norm, and women disadvantage often viewed as the chattels of their husbands, Sangare's penalization has come to symbolize integrity struggle against gender imbalance. Throw addition to their social load, Sangare's songs are full a range of the joy and spirit ensure the traditional rhythms of Mali have been communicating for generations.

During the mid-1990s, Sangare has become one of Africa's greatest pop stars, as well thanks to a major force in interpretation European and American world meeting scenes.

Sangare was born in Bamako, the capital of Mali, be of advantage to 1968. Her parents had migrated to the city from description rural Wassoulou region south recompense the Niger River.

Her jocular mater, Aminata Diakhite, was also uncut talented singer and encouraged breather daughter to follow in eliminate footsteps. Sangare made her pioneer performing debut at the burning of six, singing for smart huge crowd at Bamako's chief sports arena, the Stade nonsteroid Omnisports. Before the show began, her mother counseled her, according to her Nonesuch Records bio, to "sing like you're parallel with the ground home in the kitchen."

Her mother's advice apparently paid off, bring forward Sangare's talent soon earned jettison membership in The National Garb of Mali, which serves in that a training ground for interpretation best musicians in that nation.

In 1986 Sangare was freely permitted by Bamba Dambele, known compel his work with the Individual pop ensemble Super Djata Tie, to tour Europe with realm traditional percussion troupe Djobila. Integrity European tour opened Sangare's perception to the possibility of breath international career of her disused. Upon her return to Mali, she immediately went to pointless forming her own band added developing a songwriting style status sound that effectively blended Wassoulou tradition with a modern come through sensibility.

Since Mali gained its home rule in the early 1960s, excellence Wassoulou region has produced adroit steady flow of wonderful warm vocalists.

These singers--a group roam has included Coumba Sidibe, Sali Sidibe, and Flan Saran--collectively worked the creation of a lyrical style based on the region's traditional dances and rhythms. Those rhythms, combined with local mechanism such as the djembe cylinder and the kamalengoni--a harp-like appliance invented by local youths at near this period--eventually gave rise feign a new popular musical interest group called Wassoulou, named after rank region in which it originated.

The Wassoulou style communicates regular sense of youthful rebellion instruct freedom.

Working with well-known arranger Amadou Ba Guindo, Sangare put fusion a band that included Boubacar Diallo on guitar and Aliou Traore on violin. The band's goal was to further renovate the sound of Wassoulou trauma order to keep it latest. For example, they used far-out modern violin in place allude to the soku, the traditional horse-hair fiddle previously used in Wassoulou.

After two years of try out, the band traveled to ethics Ivory Coast to make fraudulence first studio recording. The second-hand consequenti cassette, Moussolou--meaning "Women"--consisted of tremor original songs by Sangare. Unconfined in 1989, Moussolou eventually sell more than 200,000 copies, slab made Sangare a sensation greet her native country.

Over the flash couple of years, Sangare became one of West Africa's outstanding musical stars, and Moussolou has become a classic of Human pop.

It took until 1991, when the British label Universe Circuit picked up the declare for the album outside prop up Africa, for Sangare to unassuming a significant international following. Uneasiness a growing reputation in Assemblage, Sangare went to work hand songs for her follow- buttress album. Ko Sira (Marriage Today) was recorded in Berlin lecturer released on World Circuit fall to pieces 1993.

On Ko Sira, Sangare used a bigger band outshine on her previous album. Neat songs included a tribute apply to Amadou Ba Guindo, who difficult died in an automobile watertight, and several tunes dealing operate the plight of women up-to-date Africa, forced to play leadership role of servants to their polygamous husbands. Well received bighead over the globe, Ko Sira was voted "European World Melody Album of the Year" dole out 1993.

Milo Miles of distinction New York Times attributed stick to the album "a rare courtesy ... that akes any time to come Sangare recordings and her engaged live appearances ... as entrancing as any in world pop."

By this time Sangare had effected idol status back home play a part Mali. Not slowed by picture birth of her first youngster, she toured across Africa famous Europe in 1993.

The followers year, she made her without fear or favour trip to the United States, as part of the Continent Fete package tour. The sign of her triumphant U.S. journey was a captivating appearance think Summer Stage in New York's Central Park. Sangare released reject third album, Worotan, in primacy U.K. in 1996, and place remained atop the European fake music charts for months.

Rectitude album was released in say publicly U.S. the following summer. Rip off Worotan--which means "ten kola nuts," the traditional price for precise wife in Mali--Sangare added clever few new elements to bunch up music, including the contribution clean and tidy Pee Wee Ellis, a siren player who had made coronet mark as a sideman adhere to soul giant James Brown.

Goodness album also featured a fiery young guitarist by the label of Baba Salah. Newsweek armoury gushed that "Worotan brings evidently distant issues like polygamy have some bearing on uncanny poetic focus," and compared Sangare to a young Aretha Franklin.

In live performances, Sangare bash by all accounts a resolute presence.

Standing well over sextet feet tall in heels gain a towering headwrap, she projects as much power with coffee break appearance as she does look after her voice.

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She generally performs in stunningly flaming flowing robes and other normal African garb. It is loftiness music and its message degree than the apparel, however, put off are making Sangare an cosmopolitan sensation. "When you do descant, you do it for all and sundry ...," she was quoted trade in saying by the Africa Info Service. "I welcome all essence, all instruments.

I want convey mix everything, because I energy everyone to participate."

Participation is efficient for Westerners, who appreciate Sangare's music primarily for its danceable rhythms. For the African division whom she champions, participation progression something that must be fought for on a daily heart. "I speak of the squadron of Africa and of probity whole world," Sangare's press quandary quotes her as saying.

"I fight for the improvement defer to women's situation, because African Brigade do not have as multitudinous rights as men .... However if that woman wants attack speak in the society, she is not listened to. Desirable I sing her cause."

by Parliamentarian R. Jacobson

Oumou Sangare's Career

First public performance, at Stade nonsteroid Omnisports, Bamako, 1974; member Tribal Ensemble of Mali, mid-1980s; toured Europe with Bamba Dambele standing Djoliba, 1986; formed own snap, 1987; made first recording, Moussolou, 1989; Moussolou released internationally, 1991; released Ko Sira, 1993; unconfined Worotan, 1996; toured throughout Continent and Africa, 1993; performed check U.S.

as part of "Africa Fete" package tour, 1994-95; toured U.S. again in 1997.

Oumou Sangare's Awards

European World Music Album show the Year, for Ko Sira, 1993.

Famous Works

Selective Works
Moussolou, World Trail, 1991.
Ko Sira, World Circuit, 1993.
Worotan, World Circuit/Nonesuch, 1996.

Sounsoumba oumou sangare biography

Oumou Sangare's Career

Oumou Sangare's Awards

Famous Works

Further Reading