Jimi Mbaye

Jimi Mbaye is a Senegalese guitarist best known for his work with Youssou N'dour. Mamadou 'Jimi' Mbaye has developed a unique Senegalese guitar style in which he makes his Fender Stratocaster sound like local instruments such as the kora or xalam.

Jimi has released two solo albums, "Dakar Heart" and "Yaye Digalma" and now has his own studio, Studio Dogo, in which he produces albums for other artists. At ten years old Jimi Mbaye (pronounced em-BY) built his first guitar out of fishing line and gasoline cans. At twenty he'd scraped up enough money to buy a used Fender Stratocaster. Mbaye was just as determined to get a guitar as he was to make it in the competitive Dakar music scene. Early on he met Youssou N'Dour and together they became rising stars on Senegal's club scene, playing mbalax music. They created the "Super Etoile" band together in 1979 and have been musically inseparable for all these years. Mbaye recorded six top-selling major-label albums with N'Dour before taking a leave of absence to record his own solo album, released in 1997, Dakar Heart. Recorded at N'Dour's Studio Xippi, Dakar Heartfeatures N'Dour's band "Super Etoile". Mbaye is back at N'Dour's side and is very much an integral part of Youssou's "Super Etoile" band these days. In fact, Youssou often travels abroad only with Jimi as acoustic guitar accompanist, as he did in June 1998 for performances in Paris as guests of Brazilian performer Gilberto Gil at the Olympia Theatre.

A member of Youssou N'Dour's Super Etoile Band since 1979, Jimi Mbaye (born Mamadou Mbaye) is one of Senegal's most influential guitarists. Often compared to Jimi Hendrix and Robert Johnson, Mbaye has forged a unique blend of traditional Senegalese roots music and American pop and R&B. Recording a solo album, Dakar Heart, with help from Super Etoile Band musicians in 1997, Mbaye showcased his inventive, kora-derived guitar playing and singing in Wolof, English, and French. Billboard called him "a prodigious world talent," while Rhythm referred to him as "one of Senegal's most exciting musicians." Music has played an ongoing role in Mbaye's life. As a youngster, he performed on a self-invented instrument made from discarded garbage cans and nylon fishing line in the streets of Dakar. By the age of 20, he had graduated to a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar. Mbaye continues to be the backbone of N'Dour's band. In addition to co-writing the 1994 single "Mame Bamba," he has made valuable contributions to six N'Dour recordings. Mbaye and N'Dour have increasingly performed as a duo. In 1998, they opened the show for Brazilian guitarist Gilberto Gil at the Olympic Theater in Paris.

Jimi Mbaye is one of Africa's greatest guitarists. He has played in Youssou N'dour's Super Etoile since 1979. Now he has a solo album, Dakar Heart, on which he sings as well as plays guitar. The album is available from Shanachie Records, catalog #64094. In Europe, it's distributed by BMG France. Dakar Heart skillfully blends Senegalese mbalax with American pop & R&B for a powerful new sound.

Here's what some of the critics are saying about Dakar Heart: - UCLA DAILY BRUIN (Los Angeles) Oct. 13, 1997 "Poetic and achingly beautiful, Dakar Heart takes 'world music' to new heights. Alternately political and personal, and always passionate, the record reveals Mbaye as a true artist and lyricist. His songs are filled with love, hope and a desparate cry for peace, whether it be peace between nations or peace with one's soul. Dakar Heart is an elegant masterpiece." - BILLBOARD magazine, Oct. 4 1997 "The solo debut for Youssou N'dour's guitarist Jimi Mbaye shines a deserved spotlight on a prodigious world music talent." - RHYTHM MUSIC magazine, March 1998 "Mbaye continues to prove he is one of Senegal's most exciting musicians" - RHYTHM MUSIC magazine, March 1998 Jimi Mbaye is a Senegalese guitarist best known for his work with Youssou N'dour. Mamadou 'Jimi' Mbaye has developed a unique Senegalese guitar style in which he makes his FenderStratocaster sound like local instruments such as the kora or xalam. Jimi has released three solo albums, "Dakar Heart" and "Yaye Digalma" and in 2012 he released “Khare Dounya”. He has his own studio, Studio Dogo, in which he produces albums for other artists. The second album called “Yaye Digalma” is a real masterpiece in wich Jimi shows he’s a great singer.It’s a very melodic album dobbled wich an arsenal of arrangements.So sweet to listen.He covered a song of Peter Gabriel with a duet with Kate Bush “Don’t Give Up”. He sung himself the two voices.

The third album called “Khare Dounya” was released in 2012.“Khare Dounya” means “Fight for Life”He recorded this album with his band “Group Dogo”It’s an album where Jimi Mbaye shows really his musicallity.He started to tour with his band around the country (Senegal) and the west african region.

Since he had his studio Jimi often collaborated with many artists from Africa and the rest of the world.We remember the album Daxaar with the late jazz drummer Steve Reid recorded in jimi’s studio Dogo in Dakar.

He’s friendly with all musicians.During gigs he used to be rehearsing with artists to make new songs artists can record after for their career.Here with Rokya Traore backstage during Youssou’s annual Bercy show in Paris

He often produce some musicians in Senegal.He helped them to record. And sometimes when he’s not busy he jump on stage to perform with them.For example here with rising star Pape Diouf in Dakar

Now Jimi has quited Super Etoile de Dakar to take care of his own solo career and has started to tour with his Group Dogo all around the world.Here Jimi on stage rocking the house.