Boubacar Traoré

Boubacar Traoré (born 1942 in Kayes, Mali) is a Malian singer, songwriter, and guitarist.

Biography Early life As a child Traoré was a local soccer star getting the nickname "Kar Kar", meaning "dribble dribble". His brother, had been to Cuba to study the guitar, becoming a teacher. At the age of 17, he secretly taught himself the guitar, playing it like the kora, and later being taught by his brother. In the late 1950s he listened to local and Cuban music, gaining access to American music such as Chuck Berry and jazz in the 1960s.

Early fame Traoré first came to prominence in the early 1960s, as music opportunities were opened to non-griots by the socialist government. 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, Of his eleven children five died in childhood, His first album, Mariama, was released in 1990. Since then, Traoré has enjoyed international popularity, touring Europe, North America, 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), and a live album Live! Boubacar Traoré & Vincent Bucher & Jeremie Diarra in 2024.

Despite their shared last name, he is not related to Malian singer/guitarist Rokia Traoré, although they performed a duet together on her 2000 album Wanita.

When Traoré is not touring, he raises sheep and farms vegetables on a plot of land he owns in Bamako. While Traoré acknowledges that his music has American influences, he says that his music is based in local Malian rhythms and Bill Frisell, who has covered Traoré's song Baba Drame, has called him "Elvis of Mali".

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) Dounia Tabalo (2017) Live! Boubacar Traoré & Vincent Bucher & Jeremie Diarra (2024)