Dieuf-Dieul de Thies (unreleased senegalese sounds from early 80s)

 (TRLP017).

An obscure 80s band from Thies in Senegal have just been brought back to life by label Teranga Beat. Dieuf-Dieul played from 1979 to 1982, but it appears their music never have chance to be released on a proper vinyl nor tape album until today. That's why i found interesting to present this record on Muzzicaltrips and to discuss with Teranga Beat Label founder, about these recordings and amazing piece of senegalese musical heritage.

Djali Madi Tounkara & Rail Band du Mali (1979)

(Kosmo KS230).

This tape is a senegalese 1983 reedition of a rare malian LP released in 1979 by Disco Stock (DS7918).

Meeting with Lansiné Kouyate and David Neerman

Kouyate-Neerman, Palmwine Mandingo Party, Nuits Sonores 2012.

This unique musical experience is based on a duo: Kouyate, balafon player from Kangaba in Mali, and Neerman a french vibraphone player. More than a cultural meeting, the dialogue between this two cousin instruments is here pretext to creative explorations in rhythm and melody. Taking roots in both jazz and mandingo tradition, the created atmosphere is definitely modern: although recorded in an analog studio, the second album integrates the balafon with breaks and vibraphone effects research. The title "Skycrapers and Deities" reflects perfectly the approach, linking up modernism and tradition, concrete and mysticism, human and god. 

I saw them live in 2011 as a great opening for Randy Weston, and this month during Palmwine Mandingo Party, which allowed them to fully and freely express their original transe music in front of a highly charged dancefloor... 

Meeting with Lansiné Kouyaté and David Neerman before the concert:

L'Orchestre Super Rail Band International (1979)

(Sacodis LS-24).

(Sacodis LS-25).

Mali Blues - Lieve Joris (1996)

Boubacar Traore played this week in Paris, so it reminded me this book. Leive Joris had opportunity to spend time with Boubacar Traore in the late 90s, which led to this novels book including "Je chanterai pour toi" (I'll sing for you). This enlighten context and life of this malian musician surnamed "Kar Kar".

Ahmadou Kourouma - Les Soleils des Independances (1970)

A special post for this record, taking part of a valuable RFI collection about black literature. Ivorian writer Ahmadou Kourouma (+2003) explains his approach and background, particularly on one of his  most famous novel published in 1968: The Suns of Independences, which corresponds to this confused post-colonial period where many changes took place but also many disillusions appeared.

Balla Onivogui - Paulette (1980)

Syliphone SLP75

To recall Balla Ovinogui's memory who left us few time ago (march 2011), lets share one of Balla et ses Balladins late LP from 1980.

This track shows  great performance of the 2 singers Manfila Soba Kante and Emile Soumah, but horns and guitars are also just perfect. I think they reached the announced objective...

Balla et ses Balladins - Paulette:

Cora Funk (1978)

(Eboni ER-00005).

The introduction of cora and djembe in an american disco-funk production is not always easy to achieve coherently, but here the blend of influences works pretty well, with strong african influence, thanks to top class musicians involved:

Lamine Konte (Senegal): voice, composition, cora
Fode Drame (Senegal): cora
Aisha Kone (Ivory Coast): bckg vocals
Amadou Doucoure: guitar
Fred Wesley: trombone
Gregg Middleton: bass
Wes Blackman: guitar
Hiroshi Upshir: keyboards
Ernie Fieds Jr: sax
Nolan Smith: trumpet
Nii Aye Yaw Aseidu: Djembe

Cora Funk - Sabuma :

album

Like several Eboni LPs, cover design is realized by M. Greenfield.

Soleya Mama & le Waatoo Sita - vol. 1 (1976)

SAF 50028

Waatoo Sita means "it is time" in Mandingo...

Unidentified "jungle sax jam" recordings from Casamance

Spending entire afternoons listening to music in small music shops, you can sometime fall into crazy sounds that even the guy from the shop is not able to name. This track comes from one of these CDs... 

I've been told this comes from Tionk Essil, a village in Casamance (southern part of Senegal) where many traditions and various ethnical influences are still alive.
It seems to be a live kind of ceremony including drums, choirs, in a diola style, but also including a solo sax playing with the traditional rhythms. A good example of fusion between a very traditional non-urban african music (which could exist centuries ago) and an occidental instrument played in a jazzy but african way. Modernity and how traditions evolve in time is a key subject in black thought; this music is a great example of modernity integration without any dilutive effect.
This is 20 minutes of deep and hypnotic jam, but i guess this last up to dawn...

Balla et ses Balladins - Wilikabo (1975)

SYL 572

Balla Onivogui (trumpet player and director) was one of the great figures of Guinea "Authenticité" era, recording first with Orchestre du Jardin de Guinée and then with his group Les Balladins for governement's label Syliphone. 

Wilikabo is a funk influenced (but deep and heavy guinean) song, with great drums and guitar solos.

Balla et ses Balladins - Wilikabo:



Sekou "le docteur" Diabate: lead guitar
Pivi Moriba: alt sax
Manfila "Soba" Kante: vocals
Abdou Camara: drums
Souleimane Sylla: sax
Amadou Thiam: perc
Bamba Kourouma: bass
Kemo Kouyate: rythm guitar

Les Espoirs de Coronthie (tradition and modernity in Guinea)

I had opportunity to meet Les Espoirs de Coronthie last week as they were having a concert at Satellit Café (Paris).

This band comes from Guinea and is composed of 14 musicians and dancers. They are all Soussou (Mandingo ethnic group), they come from Coronthie, a popular  neighbourhood of Conakry, and begun to play to together since they were young... a long musical trip from 1st Conakry "nijas" (musicians word corresponding to  improvised concerts done  in as many clubs as possible in the same night) to west african and european tours...

Musique sans paroles (SLP 54) (1976)

 

Let's stay around Conakry... This "Musique Sans Paroles" (music without world/lyrics) LP is not the most representative of Guinean music from the Syliphone state label from the 70s, but one of my favorites.

Among the varied and great tracks, I selected 2, first is a kind of joyfull ballad by Quintette Guinéenne (not to be mixed with Quintet Guinéen playing with Myriam Makeba) with a nice bewitching guitar melody. Then comes a wicked sounds exchange between Momo Wandel (Sourah) free jazz style saxophone and exhuberant and explosive percussions. Momo Wandel continued his musical carreer joining Circus Baobab (guinean company including acrobats and musicians) and composing original soundtracks (check the CD: “Momo Le Doyen” African BO - saphir 2007 / soundtracks of various african movies).

Quintette Guinéenne - Douga

Momo Wandel - Tam-Tam Sax

Guinean music lovers, stay around...

Guinée An10/2010 - Guinean Army makes me crazy...

... in both meanings...

I had a nice surprise discovering at the end of Syliphone's Guinée An X (SLP 09) a track reminding the famous "Armée Guinnéenne" from Bembeya Jazz National.

In fact it's just the same melody but recorded by the "Ensemble Instrumental de la Radiodiffusion Nationale" from Guinea.

Recordings are from 1968, so 10 years after Guinea independance. As several Syliphone productions, liner notes are from Sekou Touré himself, promoting african unity and universality...

Guinée An X - Ensemble Instrumental de la Radiodiffusion Nationale (SLP09)
EIRN - Milice Populaire




Guinée An X - Orchestres Nationaux. Grand tierce musical. (SLP 08)
Bembeya Jazz National - Armée Guinéenne


Peace for Guinea.