Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique / Mali : Salif Keita (& les Ambassadeurs)

Salif Keita
(Mali)

Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique

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Biography

Salif Keita started his career as a professional singer in 1970, when he became a singer of one of the two big bands in Mali, the Rail Band. The Rail Band, that played in the restaurant of the railway station of Bamako, had already started using Malian musical traditions in addition to Latin classics. In 1973, Salif changed to another big band, les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako, which was considered making more modern music. In 1978, the group changed its name to Ambassadeurs Internationaux when key members moved to Abidjan, in order to look for more possibilities for recording and for reaching new (international) audiences.

In 1984, Salif moved to France and started a solo career and his first solo album, the outstanding « Soro » created a buzz among music fans. The album is seen as innovating because of the, for African music of that decade, particularly high production standards (the album has been produced by François Bréant), and because of the unique mix of beautifully sung African melodies and modern western (electronic) instrumentation. Following albums share the same modernity but lack more and more the African feel. After the turn of the millennium, Salif went back to Bamako where he recorded a semi-acoustic album « Moffou », which was again a benchmark. He created a cultural centre with a club, and added to this a recording studio, all baptised Moffou. Later albums such as « M’bemba » and « La différence » share the same mix between melodic compositions, acoustic instruments and Salif's soaring voice.

If it was for tradition, we wouldn't have heard this voice. Born into a noble family, said to be a direct descendant from the Keita dynasty (ruling the Mali empire from the 12th till the early 17th century), Salif had no right to sing in public. In addition, being an albino, which is seen as a sign of bad luck in malinké culture, he was often alone, and discriminated and so he sought relieve in playing on his guitar. From his early successes, such as « Mandjou » (1978), for which Guinean president Sekou Touré granted him a degree of National Order of Guinea, to collaborations with Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Carlos Santana and others, we can only be thankful for it that this tradition has not been respected.

Born: 25 August, 1949, in Djoliba (40km South of Bamako, on the Niger River)
Style: Mandingo music

Salif Keita

Discography

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
Talé	2012	Emarcy / Universal Music
La différence	2009	Universal/Emarcy	Benefits of the album are for the SOS Albinos foundation
20th Century Masters	2007	Universal Music	The Millennium Collection
M’Bemba	2005	Universal Music/Emarcy
Remixes from Moffou	2004	Universal Music France
The Best of the Early Years	2002	Wrasse Records WRASS 083
Moffou	2002	Universal Music France 016 906-2
Golden Voice - Best of Salif Keita	2001	Wrasse Records WRASS 059	2CD
Papa	1999	Metro Blue/ Capitol Records 499070-2
Sosie	1997	MS Verdenshjørnet DKMS 9600	French "chansons"
Folon	1995	Mango CDIM 1108
69-80	1994	Sonodisc CD 74646	Sampler of 1969-80 recordings
The Mansa of Mali...A Retrospective	1994	Mango 20849-2	Sampler of 1987-93 recordings plus 1978 Mandjou
L'Enfant Lion	1993	Island	O.S.T. of l'Enfant Lion, a film made by Patrick Grandperret
Amen	1991	Mango 261694
Ko-Yan	1989	Island 259850
Soro	1987	Island
Albums with Manfila Kanté:
Salif Keïta & Kanté Manfila - The Lost Album	2005	Cantos	Compilation, with 3 unreleased tracks composed by Kemo Kouyaté
Dans l'authenticité, Vol.2	1979	Badmos BLP 5032
Dans l'authenticité, Vol.1	1979	Badmos BLP 5031
With the Ambassadeurs Internationaux:
Tounkan / Mana Mani	2010	Universal Music/Emarcy	2CD compilation
Mandjou / Seydou Bathily	2010	Universal Music/Emarcy	2CD compilation
Classics Titles	2006	Cantos	Compilation CD
Tounkan	1984	Celluloid CEL 6717	LP
Primpin	1983	Celluloid CEL 6640	LP
Djougouya	1983	Celluloid CEL 6635	LP
Mandjou	1979	Badmos	Also on Celluloid CEL 6721 (1984)

Sources:

Salif Keita(Mali)

Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique

Salif Keita
(Mali)