(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.
A. Dalby: ‘Baaba Maal: the Original’, New African, no.300 (1992), 44–6
S. Fall: ‘Baaba Maal, la voix du peuple’, Balafon, no.102 (1992), 21–3
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), 931–2
Wango, Syllart SYL8348 (1988)
Djam leelii, Mango CCD 9840 (1989)
Taara, Syllart 38774–2 (1990)
Baayo, Mango CD 848 300–2 (1991)
Firin' in Fouta, Mango 524 024–2 (1994)
Nomad Soul, Virgin 8465322 (1998)
GREGORY F. BARZ