Daby Touré (Mauritania / Senegal)

Daby Touré is a Mauritanian-born singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who has built a career bridging African traditions with global sounds. The son of Hamidou Touré, a member of the pioneering group Touré Kunda, he grew up between Mauritania, Senegal, and France, later settling in Montreal. A self-taught guitarist inspired by artists such as Stevie Wonder and The Police, he developed a cosmopolitan style that blends folk, pop, and soul with the rhythms of West Africa. Over the years he has released acclaimed albums on Real World Records and Cumbancha, toured internationally, and collaborated with artists including Peter Gabriel, Souad Massi and Enzo Avitabile.

Featured Songs:

“Leki” (Tree) is the first release of the collective Daande Maayo, born from a residency in Mboumba, northern Senegal that was funded by the NGO Association Globe. Working with young locals Abdoulaye Barry, Aly Sy, Mamadou Diaw, and Seydou Nourou Guissé, who wrote the lyrics and melodies, Touré composed the music and constructed the arrangements to create a song rooted in the traditions of the Fouta region. The World Road Trip piece evokes the image of the palaver tree, a gathering place for dialogue, symbolizing community and respect for the land. “A man named Jodi planted a tree / That tree became his gift to us / We came to sit beneath it as one / We remembered we belonged as one.”

“Naba” transports the listener to the vast, sun-baked landscapes of the Sahara. The Global Guitars track embodies the desert blues tradition, the hypnotic, propulsive style rooted in West and North African music that has captivated global audiences through artists like Ali Farka Touré and Tinariwen. Daby’s guitar weaves sinuous melodic lines over a rhythm that evokes the steady, swaying gait of a camel crossing the dunes. This previously unreleased track is a vivid reminder of Daby’s gift for conjuring a sense of place through sound.

Artist Website

Globe Association

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