Language:

Mandinka

Genre:

Modern manding Traditional manding

Instrument:

Female vocals

Articles:
Review in Norwegian

On the Internet
Article/Review w/sound samples

Biography

Kandia Kouyate is a Jalimusolu, a female Griot, with an incredible career behind her in Mali, where her voice is considered a national treasure. Before she was born it was predicted that her father would have a daughter with a special talent for music. Father Kouyate had three wives at the time, and all of them were pregnant. As if that were not enough, down came all the wives with daughters! Despite this encouraging prediction Father Kouyate would not bet on the music. Kandia switched to studying French and mathematics where she excelled, incidentally. The music drove her to say something to her mother and grandmother, who educated her in the Mandinka tradition. Her talent became clear, little by little, to most people, and many song commissions came in. Rumours of Kandia's formidable voice spread across Mali. She became known as "la dangereuse" because many in her audiences fell into trance when they heard her sing and seemed almost to be nailed to the ground. As a result of her unique position she has attracted several rich patrons during her career, among them Babani Sissiko, who gave her an airplane(!). He also took care that an airstrip was developed outside the village for her use. Kandia Kouyate has therefore not been forced to release albums simply to make money, which explains her delayed debut as disk artist. When she first popped up on CD, in a duet with Sekouba Bambino on his “Kassa” album in 1997, that particular track was played over and over again on Mali's radio stations. The debut album, “Kita Kan”, is hardly the last we'll hear of Kandia Kouyate!

Relevant artists:
Sekouba Bambino
Salif Keita
Nainy Diabate
Rokia Traoré
Tama

KITA KAN  
Sterns Africa/1999

Kandia Kouyate has released only 3 cassettes until now. "Kita Kan" is the first release in Africa and Europe on which Kandia's voice has been technically reproduced properly. And what a debut album! Kandia Kouyate is an able bodied singer in the Mandinka tradition, the same tradition from which comes Salif Keita, by the way. She controls the traditional songs from her very fingertips, and her unusually powerful voice can give her audiences goose bumps.
“Kita Kan” contains a mixture of traditional shouting songs and more modern material. The shouting songs are usually performed by male singers, but Kouyate is allowed to perform them only because of her unique and privileged position. Much of this album is brilliantly arranged and produced by Ibrahim Sylla, who
also stands behind the African classic, "Soro", with Salif Keita, and Oumou Sangare's "Moussolou". One of his small ingenious ideas this time is to arrange several of the traditional tracks with a symphony orchestra and "46 violins". My favourite is the 8 minutes long shouting song to King Sounjata Keita and his escendants, namely the Mandinka people. This is grandiose - no less than majestic!

BIRIKO  
Sterns Africa/2002

It is never easy follow up a success, not even for a classy artist like Kandia Kouyate. In fact it could be even more difficult. On "Biriko" Kouyate sings as beautiful as ever. The arrangements in the songs that are kept in a traditional style, but are composed by Kouyate herself, are also delicate. The CD is produced by Ibrahim Sylla, which in itself is a guarantee of quality. The arrangements are smart, with one modern instrument in every song, flute, el-guitar, accordion or saxophone. Kandia Kouyate's band also plays with a steady authority, six man strong, with for instance Mamadi Diabate on kora. This is the A team in Malian music performing. There are many very fine emotions on the CD, melancolic accoustic guitarsolos by Modibo Diabate and Djelimady Tounkara. Still this is not as grand as one perhaps would hope. Why? To my Western ears it sounds as if the song material is the reason. Mama Kouyate has a lot to tell us this time: About marriage problems/polygami, baby mortality and wars in Africa. Important topics, all of it. But to this listener it sounds as if the proclamations are too strong, poetry and melody are pushed back. Kouyate preaches her message instead of singing songs. Prizeworthy, in many ways, but the music is at the losing end.

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