Boubacar Traore

Mali

In his native country Mali, Boubacar Traoré is known to everyone as "Kar Kar" because as a youngster he was a great ball artist on the soccer field, and "kari kari" means "dribble, dribble". However, he became famous in the 1960s not as a soccer player, but as the Malian edition of Chuck Berry or Elvis Presley, including leather jacket and all. In the years after independence, he was an icon of new beginnings. Everyone in Mali danced to his music while the Rolling Stones were still performing as a coverband in London. Kar Kar, now in his 80s, is still an experience live and is currently touring with Babah Kone on calebasse and Vincent Bucher on harmonica.