• Genre: World
• Active: '80s, '90s, 2000s
• Instrument: Flute, Flute Loops

Biography

With his melodic Fulani flute playing and soft-spoken vocals in the Songhai or Peul language, Moumouni Yacouba (born: Yacouba Moumouni Alzouna) has helped to preserve the musical traditions of Niger. A native of Tillabery, a small village in Niger, Yacouba left his home at the age of ten, shortly after the death of his father. Walking more than 200 kilometers to the capital city of Niamy, he had his first break after meeting vocalist Absatou Danté, the sister of Danté Alhassane , the director Ballet National du Niger, in 1979. For the next seven years, Dante exposed him to the musical traditions of Niger and taught him the intricacies of Nigerian flute playing. After playing with Harouna Marounfa's band, in 1986 Yacouba accepted an invitation to join traditional band Zongo. Together with the group, he toured and performed in Korea, Libya, Algeria, and West Africa. Transferring to Orchestre Takeda, the house band at the musical academy Centre de Formation et de Promotion Musicale (CFPM), in 1990, Yacouba was mentored by the group's director and lead guitarist, Abdoulaye Alhassane. He remained with the band for five years. Together with other CFPM musicians, including Ahlassane, Yacouba formed Mamar Kassey in 1995. The band's debut album, Alatoumi, released in 1999 on the French Daqui label, was followed by Denke-Denke two years later. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide

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