Oumou Sangaré

Photo: Ed Alcock

Budget woes be damned: The Department of Cultural Affairs has gracefully overcome the sponsorship shortcomings that have plagued so many outdoor events this year. In fact, it says a lot about the city’s Music Without Borders series (namely director Michael Orlove) that the city’s still able to present free concerts from world-renowned talent like Malian singer Oumou Sangaré.

The 41-year-old’s jazzy phrasing avoids the celebrated blues hybrid of fellow Bamako all-stars Ali Farka Touré and Amadou & Mariam. Her new Seya (“joy”) supports socially conscious subject matter with a sprightly, soulful bounce, featuring native instruments like the kamele ngoni, a six-string “hunter’s lute,” and the balafon, a wooden-keyed idiophone. The Wassoulou native is a superstar on the global circuit, admirably using that platform to denounce polygamy and arranged marriage—cushioning her critique in a funk-flavored fusion of West African polyrhythms.

An outspoken proponent for women’s rights since her groundbreaking 1991 debut, Moussoulou (“women”), she’s translated success into a U.N. ambassadorship, as well as entrepreneurial exploits including real estate (Bamako’s Hotel Wasulu) and a custom line of four-wheel-drive cars (a Chinese import dubbed the “Oum Sang”). It’s an enormous leap for someone who grew up singing on the streets to support her family.

While her extracurricular efforts are impressive, it’s Sangaré’s soaring voice that commands our attention. Combining a kinetic, earthy energy with percolating percussion, she remains a voice of strength and a soothing presence. Appearing in her first local concert in nearly a decade, Mali’s “songbird” presents a rare opportunity for Chicagoans to see a real diva at work.

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