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Language:

Mandinka

Genre:

Modern manding

Instrument:

Male vocals

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Biography

Salif Keita's career as a musician will always be coloured by the fact that he is a member of the Royal Family. He can trace his ancestors all the way back to Soundjata Keita, who founded a kingdom Mali in 1240. It has never been easy for Salif Keita to explain the reason for his total break with tradition when he decide to become a musician. Perhaps it was something to do with the fact that he is an albino, an outsider from the word go. He had originally planned to become a teacher but, because of difficulties finding a job, changed his mind. That a man from The Royal Family began as a musician in Mali in the 1960s, caused a storm of protest and Salif Keita was expelled from school. However, he formed a trio with his brothers and began to play on the streets and the nightclubs of Bamako, Mali's capitol. In 1970 he was invited to play in Rail Band, an orchestra supported in part by public money that played in the restaurant of the railway hotel in Bamako. In Rail Band he came into contact with Kante Manfila who had many of the same ideas as Keita concerning the blending of disparate styles. Mali has always been a melting pot for various musical styles, mainly because it stands as the last outpost of black Africa. Arabic, French, Spanish and local Malian traditions have influenced the music. After three years Keita and Manfila moved on to the (then) second most prolific group in Mali, Les Ambassadeurs, that had a more modern repertoire. The group's popularity soared and in 1978 Salif Keita was created "Minister For Music And Culture" by the president of neighbouring Guinea. In gratitude, Salif Keita composed the song "Mandjou", which was an enormous success. Several of Les Ambassadeurs' historical recordings from the close of the 1970s are still available on CD. Keita and Manfila continued to develop their fusion music and create hypnotic sounds, one after the other. In the 1980s Keita dissolved Les Ambassadeurs and set out on his solo career. Since then his meaningful influence has cropped up in many areas - from western pop and rock to Pink Floyd, among others. Today, Salif Keita is one of world music's most central and influential artists; and each and every one of his albums is greeted with great expectations.

Relevant artists:
Mory Kante
Rail Band
Kandia Kouyate
Rokia Traoré

SORO  
Sterns Africa/1987

One of modern African music's most definitive classics. Salif Keita has ended up in a strange position, in that everything he has done since will be measured against this album. The album has gained its own status because it succeeds in uniting traditional African musical elements with modern western influences and technology. It has airy arrangements where brass and synthesizer move elegantly together with old Malian stringed instruments and female choirs. A long-lasting and fruitful collaboration with keyboard man Jean-Phillipe Rykiel begins on "Soro", and continues today. Maybe this has little to do with African
music, but "Soro" is nevertheless the disk where he succeeds in creating brand new fusion music that reaches a western market.

KO-YAN  
Mango/1989

"Ko-Yan" was recorded to the same specifications as "Soro", but with larger arrangements and hi-tech. But whereas "Soro" feels like a warm flow, "Ko-Yan" hasn’t the power to create more than cool-ish funk. The music falls somewhere between the two styles and is neither African nor modern. It is competent but lacks something indefinable. It is called soul?

AMEN
Mango/1991

For review, clique record company

MANSA OF MALI  
Mango/1994

A good collection with songs from the three Mango albums, plus the LP "L'enfant Lion" (1979). From that comes an exciting version of "Mandjou", Salif Keita's gift to the president of Guinea, among others. It is the older songs that hold the most interest here, and one cannot but feel sad that Salif Keita has given himself up to modern market forces . The old songs have more character and soul.

SALIF KEITA 1969-1980
Sonodisc/1994

FOLON - THE PAST  
Mango/1995

After a little fumbling around in the 1990s, people asked if Salif Keita was finished - on the way out. The answer came in 1995 with "Folon". This is a very strong album that reinforces his position as one of Africa's leading musicians. Jean-Phillipe Rykiel is back on keyboard, and Salif has rediscovered some of the warm African sounds that in magical moments are heard on "Soro". A highpoint of "Folon" is in fact the new, 10 minutes long, recording of "Mandjou", plus the gorgeous, slow song, "Nyanyama".

PAPA  
Blue Note/1999

Salif Keita tries a new recording label with a bunch of new musicians on this album, recorded in Bamako, New York and Paris. Among the guest artists performing is Grace Jones on vocals. The new direction, Rykiel is still with him, however, is good, in the sense that Salif Keita obviously is trying out a new sound. The warmth from "Folon" is there still, but sounds a little different, meaning more Western and funky. It bulges with lovely details in the backing, but the record never really takes off, even if it improves during the second half, and that for instance "Abedé" and "Papa" are exellent songs. So, some of this sounds beautiful and well-arranged from Mali’s best son, some sounds indifferent and slick, and the first and last track does not work at all. Conclusion: At times a nice try to do something new, but the total result is too uneven to really make it.

BEST OF THE EARLY YEARS
?/2002

Tracks:

1 Tiramakan (Salif Keita)
2 Djigui (Salif Keita)
3 Seydou Bathily (Salif Keita)
4 N'Toman (Salif Keita)
5 Soundiata (Salif Keita)
6 Soyomba (Salif Keita)
7 Kankoun (Salif Keita)
8 Super Coulou (Salif Keita)
9 Mandjou (Salif Keita)

THE GOLDEN VOICE
Wrasse/2002

Tracks:
1.Wamba
2.Ignadjidje
3.Soro (Afrika)
4.Sanni Kegniba
5.Mandela
6.Dalimansa
7.Cono
8.Nou Pas Bouger
9.Seydou
10.Mandjou

11.Sina (Soumbouya)
12.Tekere
13.Squareba
14.Africa
15.Dakan-Fe
16.Djembe
17.Tenin
18.Lony
19.Nyanafin
20.Karifa
21.Folon
22.N b'I Fe

MOFFOU  
Universal/2002

Many of West Africas leading artists have gone accoustic during the last year: Baba Maal, Mory Kante, Rokia Traoré (who in fact never has done anything else) and now the maestro of fusion i Africa; Salif Keita himself. It seems as if these artist after several rounds in "World funk" have found their roots and true musical foundation through this. Salif Keita is no exception.
"Moffou" is in other words a (nearly) pure accoustic album. And from the first note it is clear that we have a "new" Salif Keita in front of us. All instruments, except from a discreet elguitar (Djelly Moussa Kouyate) and an electric bass (Guy N'Sangue) who weaves a solid rhythmic foundation, are West African, accoustic string instruments and drums. This produces a lovely organic sound. The production which is by Salif Keita himself and Jean Lamoot, is earthy, warm and in perfect balance. The exellent arrangements are by Salif Keita's old brother in arms Kante Manfila.
The whole session starts with the catchy "Yamore", a duet with the one and only barefoot diva Cesaria Evora, a song that easily can become a hit. Salif Keita then calms down with "Iniagige", only backed by his own lyrical guitar. Then the whole band explodes in cascades of rhythm feasts in "Madan", one of the records' definate peaks. And that's how it continues: From lyrical guitar tracks, among them an accoustic remake of "Ana Na Ming" from the "Papa" album, to more catchy melodies, performed with a sprarkling enthusiasm and joy by Salif Keita and his choir ladies. Every now and then Benoit Urbain sneaks in with his accordion and adds wonderful variation.
"Moffou" is a brilliant summing up of what Salif Keita has done in his career so far: This is traditional West African music, but composed, arranged and performed by modern Africans who know what they want and have the ability to do it. "Moffou" is a record you'll easily fall in love with, and it is probably Salif Keita's best achievment to date. Which says a lot, conserning that the man has been around in the business for more than 30 years. (Clique record company and search for artist for sound samples)

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