Mamadou MbayeSenegal |1957| FrenchMamadou "Jimi" Mbaye is a guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Hailing from Senegal, he is best known for working with Youssou N'dour. Mbaye has developed a unique guitar style, making his Fender Stratocaster sound like local instruments such as the kora or xalam.
Mbaye was born in Dakar, Senegal, in 1957. He began playing the guitar at a young age, taught by his father. Mbaye was influenced by musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Robert Johnson, and Youssou N'Dour.
In 1979, Mbaye joined Youssou N'Dour's band, Super Étoile de Dakar, and helped to shape their sound.
In addition to his work with N'Dour, Mbaye has also released several solo albums. His most notable solo album is Dakar Heart, released in 1997.