After a career that spanned a half-century, in which he became the most famous musician from Burkina Faso and a legend of African popular music, Amadou Balake died in 2014 at the age of 70. This album contains his final recordings. Accompanied by young local musicians, he revisits some of his favorite songs, including his namesake, "Balaké," which he had never previously recorded. Captured mostly in one take with few overdubs, these tracks present a performer seasoned by decades of experience and in full command of his art.
After a career that spanned a half-century, in which he became the most famous musician from Burkina Faso and a legend of African popular music, Amadou Balake died in 2014 at the age of 70. This album contains his final recordings. Accompanied by young local musicians, he revisits some of his favorite songs, including his namesake, "Balaké," which he had never previously recorded. Captured mostly in one take with few overdubs, these tracks present a performer seasoned by decades of experience and in full command of his art.