Amadou Balaké

Life and career

Amadou Traoré was born on March 8, 1944, in Ouahigouya, Yatenga, then a French territory. In 1952, his recently widowed mother moved to the capital, Ouagadougou, where he became interested in music. He spent six years working with his brother as a driver apprentice in Mopti, Mali, before returning to Ouagadougou in 1961 to work as a taxi driver. In 1962 he began his professional career, playing in different orchestras in Bamako, Abidjan, Kankan and Conakry throughout the decade. He joined Ouagadougou-based band Harmonie Voltaïque and scored a hit with his song "Balaké" ("porcupine" in Mandinka), changing his name to Amadou Balaké. He then became the singer for the Super Volta orchestra, and in 1970 he formed the band Amadou Balaké and the 5 Consuls before recording his first album as a leader in the mid 1970s.

In 1979 Balaké travelled with Gambian singer Laba Sosseh to New York, where he recorded two albums: À New York and Afro-Charanga, the latter featuring pianist Alfredo Rodríguez. In 1982, his single "Taximan n'est pas gentil" earned him a golden record in Ivory Coast. In the 1980s he travelled to Abidjan and Paris, where he continued performing.

In the year 2000, Balaké was invited by producer Ibrahima Sylla to join Senegalese salsa band Africando as a guest vocalist in their album Mandali. He later became an official member of the band, performing in subsequent albums.

Balaké died on August 27, 2014 in Ouagadougou. His last album, recorded in 2013, was released posthumously by Sterns Music in 2015.

Style

Balaké's music has been described as "delightfully varied", combining traditions such as the warba dance music of Burkina Faso, modern Mandé music, Cuban son montuno, and salsa. Balaké primarily sang in Dioula, French, and occasionally in Mossi. His approach to Mandé music has been compared to that of the Rail Band and Bembeya Jazz.

Discography