Yandé Codou Sène was born in Senegal in 1932. She learned the trade of griotte from her mother. A griot or griotte (male and female form respectively) is a West African folk storyteller annex minstrel. They occur during circumcisions, marriages and other social events. Yandé made her debut at the age of fifteen. When she was twenty she met Léopold Sédar Senghor, who would later become Senegal's
… first head of state. He regularly invited her to perform on his campaigns and other occasions. The recent collaboration with fellow countryman Youssou N'Dour has prompted Yandé to finally record some of her skills. So she makes her CD debut at well over sixty. Her powerful voice is accompanied by traditional percussion and string instruments. (GO) _more