The Malian balafonist Neba Solo is wowing audiences all over the world — not only with his masterful performances, but also with the sound he is creating. Lydia Martin saw him play at the Segou Festivalsur le Niger in Mali in February 2005 and tracked him down…

What do you think of the label ‘traditional music’? Can you explain it?
NS: I think this label can only be used in relation to music used in the traditions of a specific people. For example: In my ethnic group — the Senoufos — when an old person dies there is music that has come from our ancestors that the balafon player plays in a specific order at a specific time. This music is never played apart from at these times and it has never been, and will never be, recorded. This is traditional music.

I haven’t yet opened an actual school but I always have students who I teach at my home, while we’re waiting for the means to build one

So how can we describe your music?
I make world music using traditional instruments.
When you were young how did you feel about traditional music and instruments? Has this attitude changed over the years?
I loved them and continue to do so. I will always love our traditions and our instruments. As a Senoufo proverbe says: “Live and die with the balafon.”
You have worked a lot with your father. How does this work, as teacher and student or as collaborators?
When I was learning we worked as father / teacher and son / student. But when he decided that my learning had finished, it became more of a collaboration between two balafonists.
Who have you also collaborated with in your career?
I have collaborated with my older brother Ousmane Traoré who is my second teacher and my first ‘team member’. We started out as brothers but then became collaborators. I’ve also been involved in projects with Abdoulaye Diabaté, Moriba Koita, Nanou Coul, Molobati Traoré, Sibiri Samaké and Djigui Traoré.
I have also worked with the French DJ Fréderic Galiano who I performed with and then he remixed tracks for my first album. I’ve also worked with the trio Shémirani who I recorded my Falak album with, as well as a European tour.
The British musician Damon Albarn and I played together, played at a concert in Mali and then another in England with other Malian musicians.
Who are your musical influences?
Alpha Blondi has had a great influence on me and my music. Bob Marley, Michael Jackson…
What do you find are the advantages or disadvantages of pursuing a solo career?
The advantages are that you go right to the depths of your own ideas, the disadvantages are that you don’t benefit from the talents, inspiration or experience of getting your heads together.
What are your plans for the future?
I want to conquer the world market. To have a producer who can promote my music worldwide.
I want to continue to create this mix of music from my country and from the world.
It’s been said you have opened a school for teaching traditional music. How is it going?
I haven’t yet opened an actual school but I always have students who I teach at my home, while we’re waiting for the means to build one. At the moment, I have 6 students. I’m helping the next generation like my father did.
Why do you think Malian music is so well known across the world?
I think it’s because a Malian likes to protect his originality, to work with our own instruments, but also to open ourselves up to the rest of the world and to add instruments from other peoples. In my humble opinion, I think that creates great results. We work better with instruments we know, that we have mastered better than others. We want to be known without wanting to be like anyone else.
What are the difficulties, obstacles, problems for Malian or African musicians to be well known at a world-wide level?
The lack of promotion, piracy, the lack of good professionals…