Ismaël Lô (also Ismaël Lo; born 1956) is a Senegalese musician and actor.

Life

Lô was born in

Dogondoutchi Dongondoutchi ("High Hill", also nicknamed Doutchi) is a commune in Niger. It is located about 300 km east of the capital Niamey and 40 km from the Nigerian border. It lies on national route 1 which links the capital to the towns of ...

Niger ) , official_languages = , languages_type = National languagesDakar Dakar ( ; ; wo, Ndakaaru) (from :wo:daqaar, daqaar ''tamarind''), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The city of Dakar proper has a population of 1,030,594, whereas the population of the Dakar ...

. He plays guitar and harmonica, and has been called "the Bob Dylan of Africa". In the 1970s, Lo studied at the School of Art in Dakar. He later joined the popular group Super Diamono, but left in 1984 to start a solo career. Over the next four years Lo recorded five popular solo albums. In 1988, he composes the soundtrack for Ousmane Sembene's '' Camp de Thiaroye'' and plays in it. He would also star in Moussa Sene Absa's film ''

Tableau Ferraille Tableau Ferraille is a 1997 Senegalese film written and directed by Moussa Sene Absa. Set in a seaside town near Dakar called ''Tableau Ferraille'', or "Scrap Heap," the film depicts the political career of ambitious Daam, played by Ismaël Lô, ...

'' (Iron Landscape), in 1996, and compose more soundtracks. In 1990, Lo signed a recording deal with Barclay and recorded in France his seventh solo album, ''Ismael Lo''. Thanks to the success of the single "Tajabone" the album became a hit in the European charts. The album launched Lo's international career. ''Iso'' was recorded and released in 1994, and also became a success. The album contains soft guitar melodies and traditional Senegalese

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. The following year Lo toured in Africa. The compilation album ''Jammu Africa'' was released in 1996. The song "Without Blame" is a duet with

Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single " As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British I ...

. Lo's song "Tajabone" was featured in

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's film ''

All About My Mother ''All About My Mother'' ( es, link=no, Todo sobre mi madre) is a 1999 comedy-drama film written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar, and starring Cecilia Roth, Marisa Paredes, Candela Peña, Antonia San Juan, Penélope Cruz and Rosa Maria Sardà. ...

''. In 2002, he was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor. His 2006 album ''Sénégal'' was recorded in Dakar, Paris and London. Lo says of it, "Giving this album the title Sénégal was my way of paying tribute to my own country, in recognition of all its gifts to me". The film '' Shake Hands with the Devil'' (2007), about the Rwandan genocide, starts with Lo's song "Jammu Africa".

Discography

Albums

*''Gor Sayina'' (1981) :* Yaye Boye Balalma / Gor Saay Na / Ale Lo/ Woudje Yaye – Tiedo / N'daxami / Sey / Adou Calpe *''Xalat'' (1984)Xalat Album – SYLLART 8314, Record Sleeve & Vinyl Record itself :* Xalat / Tali Be (Talibe) / Lote Lo – Xamul Dara / Mariama / Fa Diallo *Xiif (1986) :* Alal / Bode Gor / Xiif (Ethiopie Sahel) – Tiedo / Diouma / Marie Lo *''Natt'' (1986) :* Ataya / Natt / Djola Kele – Samag La / Mougneul / Tadieu Bone *''Diawar'' (1988) :* Jele Bi/ Sophia / Taar Dousey – Diawar / Jalia / Adou Calpe *''Wadiour'' (1990) :* Wadiour / Diabar / Souleymane – Mbarawath / Nene / Tariha *''Ismael Lo'' (1990) :*Tajabone / Raciste / Ale Lo / Jiggeny Ndakaru / Fa Diallo / Souleymane / M'barawath / Nene *''

Iso ISO is the most common abbreviation for the International Organization for Standardization. ISO or Iso may also refer to: Business and finance * Iso (supermarket), a chain of Danish supermarkets incorporated into the SuperBest chain in 2007 * Iso ...

'' (1994) :*Dibi Dibi Rek / Nafantav / La Femme sans haine / Rero / Senegambie / Baol Baol / Naboou / Nassarane / Wassalia / Setsinala / Khar / Samayaye *''Jammu Africa'' (compilation, 1996) :*Jammu Africa / Nafantav / Sofia / Tajabone / Raciste / Nabou / Without Blame / Dibi Dibi Rek / Lotte Lo / Souleymane / Samba Et Leuk / Takou Deneu / Khar *''Dabah'' (2001) :*Aiwa / L'amour a tous les droits / Biguisse / Amoul Solo / Dabah / Boulfale / Faut qu'on s'aime / Africa Democratie / Diour Sani / Badara / Ma dame / N'Dally / Xalas / Mam *''Sénégal'' (2 October 2006) # "Baykat" # "Incha Allah" # "Tass Yakar" # "Jola" # "Taar Dusey" # "Manko" # "Yaye Boye" # "Plus je fais ci, plus je fais ça" # "Mbindane" # "Wakhal" # "Ouvriers" # "Jiguen" # "Ma fille" # "Tajabone"

Singles

* ''Rero'' (1994)

Guest singles

*''Africa Nossa'' (2006) (with

Cesaria Evora Cesaria may refer to: * Cesaria River, an old name for the Cohansey River *Cesária ''Cesária'' is the fifth album by Cesária Évora. The album, consisting of Cape Verdean morna and coladeira songs, was released by Paris-based Lusafrica on 1 ...

)

Music videos

References

External links

RFI Musique biography
*

Allmusic link AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

br>Lo discography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lo, Ismael 1956 births Living people 21st-century Senegalese male singers Wrasse Records artists Senegalese guitarists Senegalese people of Nigerien descent Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur Chewa 20th-century Senegalese male singers