AFEL BOCOUM

Afel Bocoum was born in 1955 and is from the town on Niafunke on the Niger River, and is member of the Sonrai people.

An agricultural advisor by hereditary profession Bocoum is a renowned singer and guitarist and began his career as a member of Ali Farka Toure's band ASCO, performing with them from the 1970s to the 1990s.

It was in the late 90s that he recorded his own debut album Alkibar. His group is also entitled Alkibar which translates from Sonrai as "messenger of the great river".