12

The Sahel Calling Project Raising the voice of the silenced.

Musician Gallery Musicians who were interviewed for the short film

Ben Zabo (Arouna Coulibaly) Ben Zabo’s lyrics are political and personal, denouncing corruption and calling for democracy in . Sung primarily in his native Bwa language, Ben’s music is a fusion of afro beat, blues, rock, reggae, and funk. He acted as the Sahel Calling field producer in Mali and accompanied the film team to refugee camps in Burkina Faso.

“Everyone must know what democracy is and how to make it”.

Photo Credit: John Bosch/Peter Buntaine

Disco Disco is the lead singer of Tartit, a Tuareg band formed in a refugee camp in Mauritania over 20 years ago.

“Musicians are the ambassadors of the people.“

Photo Credit: http://www.festivalpresenzedafrica.eu/GliArtisti.htm

Tiken Jah Fakoly Tiken Jah Fakoly is a world-famous reggae artist from , who has been living in his adopted country of Mali since the war in his home country in 2003. He is extremely political in his music and now has a club and studio in . He released videos in Spring 2012 denouncing the situation in the north.

“The revolution of peace will only happen through better education. We can do this through music.“

Photo Credit: John Bosch/Peter Buntaine

Baba Salah Baba Salah is a composer and guitarist who comes from , though has been living in Bamako for many years now. He was one of the first musicians to denounce the situation back in March 2012. He played for years as Oumou Sangaré´s guitarist.

“Music must be a key part of reconciliation”

Photo Credit: Studio Mali

The Sahel Calling Project www.sahelcalling.com The Sahel Calling Project: Musician Gallery (page 2)

Samba Touré Samba Touré is a famous composer, singer, and guitar player from Mali. Samba grew up in the region and in the 90’s he toured with Ali Farka Toure. Today he is an acclaimed guitarist of African blues who sings for peace and unity in Mali

Photo Credit: John Bosch/Peter Buntaine

MC Jazz (Negga Jazz Samassekou) MC Jazz is a young and political rapper, singing in many languages including those in Mali and Sénégal. He was born in Mopti and lives in Bamako. He is currently recording an album of original material with Abou Cisse, house engineer at Salif Keita's Studio Moffou.

Photo Credit: John Bosch/Peter Buntaine

Groupe Musical Tahanint This women´s choir, led by Mohamed Aly (composer and guitarist), fled Timbuktu in March and April 2012 under persecution (especially because they are Christians). Several members have dangerous stories of fleeing, taking 4 days to arrive Bamako. They sing in Tamasheq, Bambara and French, with some traditional Christian hymns, though always somehow mixed with local beats and instruments. They are recording a song to release on CD to use the proceeds to help the other internally displaced people.

“We want to go back to Timbuktu and live as before, with all groups living peacefully together.“

Photo Credit: John Bosch/Peter Buntaine

Abdou Yattara Famous n´goni player from Timbuktu who fled with his son out of fear of his son being kidnapped to fight. Abdou is a famous n´goni player for weddings and events in Timbuktu and he also plays calabasse and other instruments.

Photo Credit: John Bosch/Peter Buntaine

The Sahel Calling Project www.sahelcalling.com The Sahel Calling Project: Musician Gallery (page 3)

Achmed from Amanar Achmed is a guitar player with the famous band, Amanar. He fled the violence in the north, and just recently, jihadistes arrived at his house, threatened his sister, took all his guitars outside and burned them. They threatened to amputate his hands if he comes back, or worse.

Photo Credit: John Bosch/Peter Buntaine

Abdallah Ag Amano Abdallah is sound engineer for Tadalat. He fled the violence in the north and is now living in Bamako. He accompanied the film team to the refugee camps in Burkina Faso.

Photo Credit: Abdallah Ag Amano’s Facebook page

Khaira Arby Khaira Arby is a world-renowned singer from Timbuktu and is often called the Queen of Desert Blues or the Nightingale of the North. She is of both Songhai and Berber ethnicity and sings of love, peace, history and the lives of women in several languages.

Photo Credit: http://blogs.hindustantimes.com/download- central/2011/04/09/fantastic-four/

Virginie Dembele Virginie is a songwriter and singer of Bwa ethnicity who has performed with Rokia Traore, Ben Zabo, and Dirtmusic. She is currently recording a CD of original material.

Photo Credit: John Bosch/Peter Buntaine

The Sahel Calling Project www.sahelcalling.com The Sahel Calling Project: Musician Gallery (page 4)

Naba TT Naba TT is a singer and the sister of Rokia Traoré. She co- founded a movement that brings together young artists and calls for the return of a united, democratic Mali.

Photo Credit: John Bosch/Peter Buntaine

Paul Chandler Paul Chandler is a guitarist, studio manager, producer and head of the NGO “Instruments 4 Africa“. He has lived in Mali for 10 years and not only is running a program to aide northern musicians, but also is working with the government to conceive of a music-based reconciliation plan.

Photo Credit Paul Chandler’s Facebook Page

Alousse Ag Assalim Alousse Ag Assalim is a multi-instrumentalist, musician, and composer originally from Gao. He currently resides in Bamako. .

Photo Credit: John Bosch/Peter Buntaine

Bassekou Kouyaté Bassekou Kouyaté is from a griot family and has became an ambassador of the ngoni instrument by changing the accepted style of playing it. He has been amazingly successful with tours all over Europe and numerous performances at festivals and won two categories in the BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music in 2008 - Best Album and Best African Artist. Has been outspoken about the situation in Mali and continued recording his album even after the country fell to the coup.

Photo Credit: John Bosch/Peter Buntaine

The Sahel Calling Project www.sahelcalling.com The Sahel Calling Project: Musician Gallery (page 5)

Zoumana Tereta Born in the region of Macina Mali, Zoumana is a multi-talented musician who has toured the world with his violin. He is considered one of Mali's master violinists who has introduced his instrument to the world of rap and has recorded numerous film soundtracks.

Photo credit: http://systemkrush.com/artist_zoumana_tereta.php

Manny Ansar Manny was born near Timbuktu and is the co-founder and current Executive Director of the Festival of the Desert. Previously he was the manager of the popular Tuareg band Tinariwen.

Photo Credit: Womex

Djebi Singer Djebi has a degree in accounting, but he learned to sing as a child in the Christian church in his hometown of Tombouctou. His band, Djebi 5, has been unable to get gigs since the military/political turmoil began in Mali, so he is actively looking for accounting work to pay the rent and feed his family.

Photo Credit: John Bosch/Peter Buntaine

Amkoullel Amkoullel is an internationally famous rapper from Mali. He has been outspoken about the crisis in northern Mali and is using his music to draw attention to the conflict.

“Musicians must educate about non-violent solutions.“

Photo Credit: NPR http://www.npr.org/2013/01/08/168882594/despite- censorship--musicians-play-on

The Sahel Calling Project www.sahelcalling.com The Sahel Calling Project: Musician Gallery (page 6)

Sekou Bah Bass player extraordinaire and dynamic performer with a wealth of musical knowledge, Sekou plays throughout Africa and performs internationally with world-renowned singer Oumou Sangaré. He recorded with JeConte & the Mali Allstars to sing a song for peace for Mali and also acted as the lead engineer, helping to produce the entire record.

Photo Credit: http://themaliblues.com/about.html

Abdoulaye Alhassane Toure Abdoulaye comes from Mali and Niger and now lives in New York City. He is a guitarist, composer, and music producer.

Photo Credit: Abdoulaye’s Facebook Page

Tinariwen Tinariwen is the popular Tuareg group originally from the north of Mali. They won the Grammy Award for Best World Music Album in 2012.

“The role of musicians in always to pass on a message.”

Photo Credit: Pedro Lopez

Amadou & Mariam Amadou and Mariam are the legendary blind singing duo from Bamako They have collaborated with many famous western musicians including Santigold, Damon Albarn, and Manu Chao.

“We are not free anymore to do what we want.”

Photo Credit: Pedro Lopez

Mulel Matondo Afrika Mulel was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo and currently resides in London. In 2013 Mulel gathered over 20 musicians to produce the song Mali La Paix to spread the message of peace for the country.

Photo credit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19966595

The Sahel Calling Project www.sahelcalling.com