Maal, Baaba

(b Podor, Senegal, 12 Nov 1960). Senegalese Fulani singer and guitarist. He

studied law as a young man. He received a scholarship to the Ecole des Beaux
Arts in Dakar and went on to study the traditional music of Senegal as well as that
of neighbouring Mauritania and Mali. He continued his training at the Paris
Conservatoire, studying theory and composition. He later formed the bands
Daande Lenol (Voice of the People, 1985) and Lasli Fouta with Mansour Seck. In
1985 he began recording for Syllart, and he subsequently recorded for Island
(Mango). During the last few years of the 20th century his recordings became more
eclectic in style, incorporating elements of reggae, rap and funk; recordings such
as Nomad Soul are representative of his position as an artist working with both
African and Western musical traditions.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
and other resources
A. Dalby: Baaba Maal: the Original, New African, no.300 (1992), 446
S. Fall: Baaba Maal, la voix du peuple, Balafon, no.102 (1992), 213
P. Moszynski: The Making of Baaba Maal, West Africa, no.3921 (1992),
1943
S. Owulu: Baaba Maal's Musical Experiment, West Africa, no.3949 (1993),
9312
recordings
Wango, Syllart SYL8348 (1988)
Djam leelii, Mango CCD 9840 (1989)
Taara, Syllart 387742 (1990)
Baayo, Mango CD 848 3002 (1991)
Firin' in Fouta, Mango 524 0242 (1994)
Nomad Soul, Virgin 8465322 (1998)
GREGORY F. BARZ