Youssou N'Dour

Youssou N'Dour

N'Dour in Warsaw on September 13, 2009
Background information
Born 1 October 1959 (1959-10-01) (age 52)
Origin Dakar, Senegal
Genres Mbalax
Occupations Singer, percussionist
Years active 1970s–present
Labels Chaos Recordings
Real World Records
Nonesuch Records
Website youssou.com

Youssou N'Dour (French pronunciation: [jusu nˈduʁ]; born 1 October 1959 ) is a Senegalese singer, percussionist, songwriter, composer, occasional actor and a current candidate in the campaign to be president of Senegal. In 2004, Rolling Stone described him as, "perhaps the most famous singer alive" in Senegal and much of Africa. [1] N'Dour helped to develop a style of popular Senegalese music known in the Serer language as mbalax, which traces its technique from the conservative Serer music tradition of "Njuup" (the progenitor of Mbalax).[2] He is the subject of the award-winning films Return to Goree directed by Pierre-Yves Borgeaud and Youssou N'Dour: I Bring What I Love directed by Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, which were released theatrically around the world.

Contents

Life and work

Youssou N'Dour was born in Dakar to a Serer father. At the age of 12, he began to perform and within a few more years he was performing regularly with the Star Band, Dakar's most popular group during the early 1970s. Several members of the Star Band joined Orchestra Baobab about that time.

Despite N’Dour's maternal connections to the traditional griot caste, he was not raised in that tradition, which he learned, instead, from his siblings. His parents' world view encouraged a modern outlook, leaving him open to two cultures and thereby inspiring Youssou's identity as a modern griot.

In 1979, he formed his own ensemble, the Étoile de Dakar. His early work with Étoile de Dakar was in the typical Latin style popular all over Africa during that time, but in the 1980s he developed a unique sound when he started his current group, Super Étoile de Dakar featuring Jimi Mbaye on guitar, bassist Habib Faye, and Tama (talking drum) player Assane Thiam.

Youssou N'Dour is one of the most celebrated African musicians in history. His mix of traditional Senegalese mbalax with eclectic influences ranging from Cuban samba to hip hop, jazz and soul has won him an international fan base of millions. In the West, Youssou has collaborated with musicians Peter Gabriel,[3] Axelle Red,[4] Sting,[5] Alan Stivell,[6] Bran Van 3000,[7] Neneh Cherry,[8] Wyclef Jean,[5] Paul Simon,[8] Bruce Springsteen, Tracy Chapman, Branford Marsalis, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Dido and others.

In Senegal, Youssou has become a powerful cultural icon and is actively involved in social issues.

Endowed with remarkable range and poise, he is a composer, bandleader, and producer of prodigious musical intelligence. The New York Times described his voice as an "arresting tenor, a supple weapon deployed with prophetic authority".[9] N'Dour's work absorbs the entire Senegalese musical spectrum, often filtered through the lens of genre-defying rock or pop music from outside Senegalese culture.

In July 1993, an African opera composed by N'Dour premiered at the Opéra Garnier for the French Festival Paris quartier d'été.

He wrote and performed the official anthem of the 1998 FIFA World Cup with Axelle Red "La Cour des Grands".[4]

Youssou N'Dour was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on 16 October 2000.[10]

N'Dour's major asset is his strong cultural grounding. Even as he explores other cultures, his roots are well established. Some have gone so far as to describe him as the African Artist of the Century (Folk Roots magazine). He has toured internationally for thirty years. He won his first American Grammy Award (best contemporary world music album) for his CD Egypt in 2005.

By 1991 he had opened his own recording studio, Xippi, and, by 1995, his own record label, Jololi.

In addition, he is the proprietor of L'Observateur, one of the widest-circulation newspapers in Senegal, the radio station RFM (Radio Future Medias) and the TV channel TFM.

N'Dour has supported several social and political causes. In 1985, he organized a concert for the release of Nelson Mandela. He was a featured performer in the 1988 worldwide Amnesty International Human Rights Now! Tour collaborating with Lou Reed on a version of the Peter Gabriel song Biko which was produced by Richard James Burgess and featured on the Amnesty International benefit album The Secret Policeman's Third Ball. He has worked with the United Nations and [[UNICEF], and he started Project Joko to open internet cafés in Africa and to connect Senegalese communities around the world. He performed in three of the Live 8 concerts (in Live 8 concert, London, Live 8 concert, Paris and at the Live 8 concert, Eden Project in Cornwall) on 2 July 2005, with Dido.[11]

In 2006, N'Dour played the role of the African-British abolitionist Olaudah Equiano in the movie Amazing Grace, which chronicles the efforts of William Wilberforce to end slavery in the British Empire.[12]

He covered John Lennon's "Jealous Guy" for the 2007 CD Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. He appeared in a joint Spain-Senegal ad campaign against illegal immigrants.

Youssou N'Dour participated in the Stock Exchange of Visions project in 2007.[13]

Since 2007 he has been a council member of the World Future Council.

In 2008, Youssou N'dour offered one of his compositions : Bébé, for the French singer Cynthia Brown.

In 2009, he released his song "Wake Up (It's Africa Calling)" under a Creative Commons license to help IntraHealth International in their IntraHealth Open campaign to bring open source health applications to Africa. The song was remixed by a variety of artists including Nas, Peter Buck of R.E.M., and Duncan Sheik to help raise money for the campaign.[14]

In 2011, N'Dour was awarded an honorary doctoral degree in Music from Yale University.[15]

At the beginning of 2012, he announced his entrance into the race for the presidency of Senegal for the 2012 presidential election, competing against Abdoulaye Wade.[16][17]

Discography

Albums

Compilation albums

Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
US
Hot 100
US
Modern Rock
US
Mainstream Rock
UK Singles Chart[19] European
Singles
France
Singles
German
Singles
Swedish
Singles
1989 "Shakin' the Tree" (with Peter Gabriel) - #9 - #61 - - - - The Lion
1990 "Shakin' the Tree" (re-release) - - - #57 - - - - The Lion
1994 "7 Seconds" #98 - - #3 #8 #1 #3 #3 The Guide (Wommat) duet with Neneh Cherry
1995 "Undecided" - - - #53 - - - - The Guide (Wommat)
1998 "How Come" (re-release) - - - #52 - - - - Youssou N'Dour and Canibus
2002 "So Many Men" (feat. Joy Denalane) - - - - - # 35 - - Nothing's in Vain (Coono du reer). Duet with Pascal Obispo.

Films

Amazing Grace (2006)

Retour à Gorée (2007)

  • As himself, journeying from the island of Gorée to the USA and back, exploring the origins of jazz, which go back to the era of slave trade in Africa, through a concert performed by an international group of artists.

Youssou N´Dour: I Bring What I Love (2008)

  • As himself, through the recording of Egypt album and its repercussions.
  • Released in the US on DVD by Oscilloscope Laboratories.

References

  1. ^ Considine, J.D. and Matos, Michaelangelo, "Biography: Youssou N'Dour" RollingStone.com, 2004
  2. ^ Sy, Abdourahmane (28 February 2010). "Rémi Jegaan Dioh : Sur un air culturel et cultuel". Ferloo. http://www.ferloo.com/spip.php?article423. Retrieved 4 January 2012. 
  3. ^ Llewellyn Smith, Caspar (15 June 2008). "Soundtrack of my life: Youssou N'Dour". Guardian.co.uk. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/jun/15/worldmusic.musicmonthly2. Retrieved 4 January 2012. 
  4. ^ a b Perrone, Pierre (29 May 1998). "Music: The song remains the game". Independent.co.uk. http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/music-the-song-remains-the-game-1156645.html. Retrieved 4 January 2012. 
  5. ^ a b Hudson, Mark (12 December 2002). "Supernatural superstar". Telegraph.co.uk. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandjazzmusic/3587019/Supernatural-superstar.html. Retrieved 4 January 2012. 
  6. ^ "Scotland News — Listings: Critics' choice". TimesOnline.co.uk. 11 January 2004. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article990987.ece?token=null&offset=12&page=2. 
  7. ^ Gill, Andy (14 June 2001). "Album: Bran van 3000". Independent.co.uk. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-bran-van-3000-673995.html. 
  8. ^ a b Cumming, Tim (21 October 2004). "Youssou N'Dour and the Fathi Salama Orchestra, Barbican, London". Independent.co.uk. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/youssou-ndour-and-the-fathi-salama-orchestra-barbican-london-542612.html. 
  9. ^ Powers, Ann (23 November 2000). "WORLD MUSIC REVIEW; African Drumbeats That Shout Out in Celebration". NYTimes.com. http://www.nytimes.com/2000/11/23/arts/world-music-review-african-drumbeats-that-shout-out-in-celebration.html. 
  10. ^ "Youssou N'Dour". Food and Agriculture Organization. http://www.fao.org/getinvolved/ambassadors/ambassadors/ambassadors-youssoundour/en/. Retrieved 16 September 2009. 
  11. ^ "Dido, Youssou and the three-gig dash". Guardian.co.uk. 3 July 2005. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2005/jul/03/live8.music6. 
  12. ^ Moss, Stephen (21 March 2007). "I'm bringing a message". Guardian.co.uk. http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2007/mar/21/1. 
  13. ^ "Youssou n’Dour the Africa’s Music Maestro". ThisDayOnline.com. 13 June 2009. http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=146029. 
  14. ^ "Open Initiative". IntraHealth. http://www.intrahealth.org/section/open. Retrieved 4 January 2012. 
  15. ^ Burt, David; de La Bruyère, Max (23 May 2011). "University confers 2,907 degrees at 310th Commencement". The Daily Yale News. http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2011/may/23/university-confers-2907-degrees-310th-commencement/. Retrieved 3 January 2012. 
  16. ^ "Message Nouvel an : Youssou Ndour confirme sa candidature à la Présidentielle 2012" (in French). Seneweb. 2 January 2012. http://www.seneweb.com/news/Politique/message-nouvel-an-youssou-ndour-confirme-sa-candidature-a-la-presidentielle-2012_n_56864.html. Retrieved 3 January 2012. 
  17. ^ Diene, Charles Gaïky. "Course à la présidentielle : Youssou Ndour sur la ligne de départ" (in French). WalFadjri. http://www.walf.sn/politique/suite.php?rub=2&id_art=77931. Retrieved 3 January 2012. 
  18. ^ CHRISTGAU, ROBERT; FRICKE, DAVID; HOARD, CHRISTIAN; SHEFFIELD, ROB, "The Top 50 Albums of 2007" RollingStone.com, 17 December 2007
  19. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 388. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 

External links