Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Nanou Coul

Frank Bessem's
Musiques d'Afrique:

Nanou Coul
(Mali)

Musiques d'Afrique
Musiques du Mali

Nanou Coul started singing at the age of 8 years old. In her neighbourhood Saladié in Bamako she was known as a solo singer, and from 1984 to 1990, she participated in the bi-annual cultural festivals known as the Biennales Artistiques Culturelles du Mali. She was 'discovered' by producer Ali Maikano, but the two went separate ways later on. Nontheless, a first album, « Tiéba », produced by Maikano turned out to be a hit. After that, she released several cassettes in Mali.

Nanou Coul performed at the prestigious Africolor Festival in 1999 near Paris (Saint Denis). In 2000-2001, she participated in the Mali Dambé Foly, la symphonie bambara Tour, together with Abdoulaye Diabaté, Neba Solo, Moriba Koïta, Djigui Traoré and Sibiri Samaké. She also featured as backing vocal on Djeneba Seck's albums « Djourou » (1999) and « The Truth » (2005).

Nanou Coul's style is closer to bambara music in the style of the big orchestras than to griot music (she is not from a griot family as the Coulibaly family is a noble clan). She sings in Bambara and in Soninké about women, children and educational issues.

Some musicians on the Tiéba album (1993):
Mahama Sissoko guitar
Bakari Diabaté percussion
Mamadou Sissoko keyboards
Djeneba Seck, Mai Sidibé backing vocals

Sources: www.natari.com, www.mondomix.com

Born: as Nana Coulibaly
Style: Bambara/Bamanan, Wassoulou.

Discography:

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
Sabali	2006	Syllart 823449	Available on cassette and CD
Maliba	1999		Local cassette production
Yébalifô	1998		Local cassette production
Les Aigles du Mali	1994		Local cassette production
Tiéba	1993	Maïkano Production	Local cassette production