Oumou Sangare - mali desert festival

[the kid]

Heres a powerful women who'll be visiting ireland this weekend..

"Oumou Sangare is undoubtedly the most popular female singer in Mali and alongside Salif Keita she is arguably the country’s most famous musician. This is a country that is renowned for its music where stars such as Amadou and Mariam, Toumani Diabaté, Rokia Traoré and Ali Farka Touré have dominated the ‘world music’ scene.

Oumou Sangare’s huge natural range and sense of rhythm is both remarkable and effortless, by turn deep and powerful, soaring and sensuous. She expresses herself with conviction and a large dose of her irrepressible energy; even without understanding the words her voice is spellbinding.

Since ‘Moussoulou’, her debut release rocketed her to national superstardom in 1989 and with the release of the widely acclaimed ‘Seya’ earlier this year she has continued to remain loyal to her beliefs. With a level of sophistication, maturity and variety, all underpinned by her trademark funk-driven Wassoulou sound, her lyrics continue to spark national debate on previously taboo subjects such as polygamy and the role of women in African society. She is as passionate in this regard as she is of her appointment in 2003 as UN ambassador for F.A.O campaigning against world hunger.



This clip is interesting cos Ali Farke Toure is dancing a traditional Songhai dance accompanying Oumou's singing which is amazing

[bops]

I saw her in Chicago earlier this summer. Amazing show. Her band is great, and she has the legendary Zoumana Tereta on soku (he's a friend of Abdoul Doumbia). Great dancers, too. Get as close to the stage as you can! Have fun.

[bubudi]

incidentally she released a new album this year. i'll post a review this week

[the kid]

Omou Sangare is doin a uk tour in Feb-March and then shes off to Australia in April
Anybody interested in Malian music will love these shows. In fact any body with ears will love Oumou. Her band is fantastic.
Check out dates etc on her site www.myspace.com/oumousangare