2012's most exciting new Afrobeat band hail from Bamako, Mali. Ben Zabo's debut album is full of funky and gritty tunes, wonderful musicianship, and songs of peace and hope. The album is a testament to the lesser-known culture of the Bwa people, it is the first international release of a Malian of Bo descendant with all songs in the Bo language and rhythms.

BEN ZABO and his band feel like they have a mission and it is through music that they intend to accomplish it. It is to promote the "Bo" culture at a national, African and international level with music, dance and Bwa traditional apparel. The name "Ben Zabo" which he calls himself in Bomu etymology means "son of Bo and Bambara", evoking his belonging to the double cultural identity Bambara and Bo. While perpetuating the traditions of his native Bwatun, Ben Zabo developed a mixed style of rhythms and melodies of Bwa in which one can detect sounds and influences from other modern and western musical styles: Afrobeat, funk, reggae, blues, rock and even jazz. With modern instruments and musical arrangements that highlight his intimate songs, his music is also enriched with Malian instruments such as balafon, tama and the ara'o bara, etc. In his compositions, Ben Zabo develops themes relating to di erent societal values such as brotherly love, peace, justice, tolerance, solidarity, work and good governance. All of those are for him sustainable human development factors, which remain the only guarantee of integrity and social cohesion. At the same time he strongly denounced with passion greed, hypocrisy, discrimination and demagoguery, the principal evils which undermine the stability of our society and deprive some citizens of freedom, dignity and well-being. On the political front, Ben Zabo encourages all African countries, especially Mali, to become more involved in a true democracy and freedom of people. That every individual and every people have an inalienable right to speak and the sovereign decision of their own destiny.For women, they are not forgotten in the songs of Ben Zabo: a tribute to them is made-to all the mothers of the world- for the suering they support while giving birth. He also writes about their beauty, bravery, love, charm and tenderness. Ben Zabo's songs are mostly written and sung in Bomu, his mother tongue. The Bwa are an ethnic minority group living in a small territory called Bwatun (Bwa country), which straddles the border between Mali and Burkina Faso. The Bwa of Mali occupy the area southeast of the Segou region, specically encircling San Tominian and serves approximately 216,000 people. The rhythm of the music of Ben Zabo encourages dancing. It is both an expression and assertion of cultural identity. It is also the voice and form of a social conscience and ethical pride Tracks : Wari Vo 02 Sènsènbo (Hommage à Dounaké Koita) 03 Danna 04 Dimiyan 05 Cinquantenaire 06 Bwa Iri 07 Ya Be Ma`e