Boubacar Traoré

One of the great veteran exponents of African blues, Boubacar Traoré has been a legend in Mali since his groundbreaking hits of the 1960s. He’s still in impressive form, matching his thoughtful, soulful voice with an acoustic guitar style that mixes blues riffs with West African influences. His easygoing, gently rhythmic playing is backed by a trio of ngoni, calabash, and balafon.