skip to main |
skip to sidebar
THIS CULTURAL LIFE - 57. BAABA MAAL (320kbs-m4a/99mb/43mins)
BBC Radio 4 broadcast: 6th May 2023
Senegalese singing star Baaba Maal on his formative influences.
Now one of West Africa's most internationally acclaimed musicians, Baaba Maal trained at a Paris conservatoire and went on to become a kind of musical ambassador, taking stories of his homeland all around the world. He has collaborated with Brian Eno and film composer Hans Zimmer, recorded an album with Mumford and Sons, and was a key member of the Africa Express touring project led by Damon Albarn. A festival favourite, Baaba Maal has energized crowds at Glastonbury and the BBC Proms alike. More recently, Marvel fans know him as the voice of Wakanda, having sung on the Black Panther movie soundtracks.
Baaba Maal talks about his early life in Senegal where, as the son of a fisherman, he wasn't expected to become a singer. He discusses the role of the griot in Senegalese storytelling and musical culture. He recalls early song-gathering trips around West Africa with his friend and collaborator Mansour Seck, his formal musical training in Paris, the powerful voice of Senegalese singer Sory Kandia Kouyaté, and meeting Nelson Mandela.
Producer: Edwina Pitman
THE FIRST TIME WITH... SERIES 28 - 2. BAABA MAAL (320kbs-m4a/130mb/57mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 12th February 2023
Legendary Senegalese musician Baaba Maal joins Matt Everitt to share his stories, music, and First Times in his life.
Baaba Maal has followed his music as it travelled the world, spreading word of an energetic, idealistic Africa - from his young travels around West Africa performing songs with mentor Mansour Seck, to the Paris conservatoire where he studied musical theory, and ultimately across the globe.
He has collaborated with John Leckie, Brian Eno, Damon Albarn’s Africa Express and Mumford & Sons. He has worked on movie soundtracks for The Last Temptation of Christ and Black Hawk Down and more recently become the voice of Wakanda for the Black Panther films, helping soundtrack composer Ludwig Goransson create the films exhilarating musical soundscape.
Baaba's latest album Being is released at the end of March 2023.
Ludwig Göransson (feat. Baaba Maal) - Wakanda [Hollywood]
James Brown - Soul Power [Ace]
Johnny Hallyday - Noir C'est Noir [Universal Music Division/Mercury]
Orchestra Baobab - Natalia
Bob Marley & The Wailers - No Woman, No Cry [Island]
Baaba Maal - Souka Nayo (I Will Follow You) [Palm Pictures]
Miles Davis - Générique [El]
Fela Kuti & Afrika '70 - No Agreement (Edit) [Knitting Factory]
Hans Zimmer (feat. Baaba Maal) - Still [Decca/UMG]
Baaba Maal - Agreement [Marathon Artists]
Bébé Manga - Ami O [Akwaba]
BAABA MAAL AND THE SENEGALESE KINGDOM OF MUSIC (320kbs-m4a/64mb/28mins)
BBC Radio 4 Extra broadcast: 2nd June 2022
Each year the Senegalese king of music, Baaba Maal, invites musicians across the region to play at the Blues du Fleuve festival, Festival of the River.
It's held somewhere along the Senegal River on the northern edge of the country.
The river is the key - it runs from Guinea through Mali, Mauritania and Senegal - the countries that were once unified in the kingdom of Mali, the most musical region in Africa and Baaba has invited musicians from all these countries to perform at the festival.
This year the English cellist Adrian Brendel travels with his instrument to the most remote festival location ever, to immerse himself in the music. He makes his way to the desert town of Demet on the Senegal side of the river and to Bogue on the Mauritanian side, to hear traditional singing of the griots, spine tingling laments from Mauritania's Veyrouz, love songs from Guinea's Binta Laly Sow next to the finest hip hop artists including Duggy Tee.
Baaba's own band Daande Lenol draws thousands - young and old. The band's name means the "Voice of the People" and they follow him in droves.
Baaba is increasingly deemed a guide for these people - collectively the Fulani - and he represents peace and wisdom in a culturally threatened region.
He and Adrian share a passion for music and discuss differences in their approach. Baaba describes his alarm at the upheaval in Mali along with sadness that music has been banned as part of the repressive regime. Adrian plays with different musicians, ultimately going on stage with Daande Lenol.
Producer: Kate Bland
A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in January 2013.