Aboubakar Traoré, hailing from Bobo-Dioulasso, is a prodigy of the kamélé n’goni and an exceptional singer. He narrates and rejuvenates the fabulous repertoire of Mandingo griots, highlighting the daily struggles of his people and paying homage to the elders who have left their mark on the history of his country and Africa.
He has assembled a team of top musicians including Zonatan Dembélé (bass), former member of Rokia Traoré, Désiré Somé (guitar), a member of Bai Kamar Jr.’s group, Guillaume Codutti (percussion), and Geoffrey Desmet (balafon, djembe), both members of the percussive big band Sysmo. Aboubakar Traoré & Balima’s strength lies in revitalizing tradition from a diverse background.
Their debut album ‘Tama Tama’ (2019) was nominated for the Octaves de la Musique (2021) and the group was selected to perform at VISA FOR MUSIC (2023) in Morocco and Belgian Worldwide Music Night (2023) in Brussels.
Their newest album, ‘Sababu’, was released on 29 September 2024.
