Afel Bocoum
(Mali)

Afel Bocoum released his debut album in 1999, yet, his musical career goes back to 1968, when, at the age of 13, he was called to join the troupe musicale de Niafunké by Ali Farka Touré and Harber Maiga. Touré was already known to the Malian public by then, and Maiga was a very gifted singer, who died in 1983. Harber Maiga was like an artistic father for the young Afel until he left the troupe in 1975. Afel then won a scholarschip in agricultural education and went to M'Pessoba in the south of Mali.

His career as an agricultural trainer brought him to Djenné, where he could continue to play music in his spare time. He could even use his music for passing through information and new ideas on social and agricultural issues to farmers, especially after he was able to work again in Niafunké, his home town. This may sound surprising, but Malian farmers read no newspapers and have no access to television, especially not decades years ago...

He created his own band Alkibar in 1983, but he also continued to play in Ali farka Touré's band Asko.

Afel Bocoum

• Musicians on the album Alkibar:
Afel Bocoum (lead vocals and lead guitar);
Ali Farka Touré (Lead guitar on two tracks);
Yoro Cissé (Njurkle lute);
Hamma Sankaré (Calabash);
Souleye Kane (Djembé, calabash);
Djeneba Doukouré & Fatoumata Traoré (chorus vocals);
Guidado Diallo (Njarka violin);
Ali Konta (Guitar);
Hamidou Saré (backing vocals).

Born: 1955, in Niafunké, Mali
Birth Name: Hamadoun Bocoum
Style: Songhaï blues, Desert Blues, Mali Blues

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
Lindé	2020	World Circuit
Tabital Pulaaku	2009	Contre Jour CJ023
Niger	2006	Contre Jour CJ017
Alkibar	1999	World Circuit WCD 053

https://shop.worldcircuit.co.uk/products/afel-bocoum-linde-cd-2
https://afelbocoum.bandcamp.com/

Page added October 2000

Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique

Afel Bocoum(Mali)

Afel Bocoum
(Mali)