Neba Solo
(Mali)

Neba Solo (his real name is Souleymane Traoré) is a son of a Senoufo farmer from Nébadougou, a village near Sikasso. Initially, he was to be a farmer too, but since his father was also a balafola, he learned to play on the balamba (the big balafon, a xylophone with calebash resonance). Gradually, he became successful and he recorded some cassettes with considerable success in his native region.

After Oumou Sangaré in 1995, Néba Solo won the Malian award "artist of the year" in 1996. This was the first time that this kind of "farmers music" won such a price.
With his 7-piece band, and Solo and Siaka Traoré as balafolaw, he creates a music with repetitive rhythms and circular melodies: la fête au village peut commencer...(=the village party can begin!).

Neba Solo

• Musicians on « Kenedougou Foly »:
Souleymane Traoré: vocals and balamba;
Siaka Traoré: balafon;
Lamissa Traoré: karignan and titiaras;
Ousmane Traoré and Zatien Consogo: bara;
Bocary and Ibrahim Dembele: dance.

Born: 1968, as Souleymane Traoré, in Nebadougou.
Style: balafon music / wassoulou music

• Musicians on « Kene Balafons »:
Souleymane Traoré: vocals and balamba;
Siaka Traoré: balafon;
Lamissa Traoré: bara;
Zatien Consogo: bara;
Mamadou Traoré: karignan, backing vocals and
Ibrahim Dembele: titiara.

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
CAN 2002	2001	Mali K7	Cassette
Kene Balafons	2001	Cobalt 09295-2	CD
Kenedougou Foly	1998	Cobalt 09281-2	CD
Hommage à Lamissa Bengaly	1995	Karta Production	Cassette

CD liner notes

Page added December 1998

Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique

Neba Solo(Mali)

Neba Solo
(Mali)