Abdoulaye Diabaté, born in 1956 in Kela, Mali, is a singer and guitarist from a griot family. Raised in the Manding tradition, he developed his skills as a singer and guitarist before leaving his village at age 18 to join Tenetemba Jazz in Bamako. In 1975, he moved to Abidjan, Ivory Coast, where he formed Super Mande, one of the capital's ensembles. The group's album Wahabiadashi was eventually banned from airplay due to its critical content. In the early 1990s, he joined the world-renowned Ballet Koteba and toured extensively. He relocated to New York City in 1996 and continued his musical journey with various collaborations, including with jazzman Don Byron and Sean Noonan's Brewed by Noon. In 2009, he released Sara, an album featuring eight original compositions performed in a traditional style.