March 07,2003

Salif keita in the country of Mandjou Touré
On invitation of MAS Production (Guinean agency for the promotion of spectacles), Salif kéita arrived in Conakry on last February 6th where he was welcomed at the international airport “Gbessia” by a crowd of sympathizers.

Salif Kéita in Pilgrimage
Salif chose Guinea of M’fa Sékou as a framework of his first pilgrimage. "I was to fulfil my religious obligations at the Mecca this year but I haven’t come in Guinea for long time that I preferred to respect this calendar, I hope that I will have the power to make it next year" said the most beautiful Mandingo voice during an Official reception that he animated to the palace of the people of Conakry, it was chaired by four Ministers: decentralization, female promotion, youth and economy & finances

Tata Pound in Dakar
Tata Pound is invited to take part in the international festival on March 14th and 15th, 2003 in Dakar. This festival is organized by "TAF TAF Records", a structure managed by AWADI. In addition to Tata Pound of Mali, the group "Yeelen" of Burkina Faso and "Ardiess" of Benin will take part in this edition with several groups of Rap of Senegal (Sénné Rap).

Wemba in jail
The international Congolese artiste Papa Wemba is since about fifteen days under locks and key in France for "traffic of visas". It’s the information reported by Radio France International (RFI). If it’s too early to draw a conclusion about the culpability of the king of the "Sape", this situation is likely to take political turnings all the more as the president Kabila has personally implied to search solutions. Let us wait to see.

Salif Keita denonces piracy
"Sometimes I think of seeking another profession" Salif Keita confessed to the web site Internet Afropop Worldwide www.afropop.org/multi/interview/ID/33) during his passage in New York in September 2002. On his return to Mali, after having lived a moment in Paris, the Malian creator showed certain religious Moslem leaders of his country as being the principal persons in charge of a Mafia of piracy, harming the artists by their remarks as much as by their actions.
In April 2000, several great names of the Malian music had gone in the streets of Bamako, the capital of the country, to protest against the industry of the piracy. This day, 60 000 illegal tapes had been burned. Obviously, this shock action did not regulate this endemic problem yet.
(Rhythmes N° Express train February 4, 2003)

Mory Kante
The more Malian of the Guineas, Mory Kanté finally arrives with his last production "Tamala" (Traveller, adventurer…). Tamala is a new album of 12 titles arranged by him. Tamala, it’s also an acoustic album which consecrates the triumphal return of the one who made his first weapons with the rail band of Bamako then with the international rail band before beginning a solo career in the middle of the Eighties. Do you remember yéké Yéké? Tamala: traveller, adventurer or walker supposes a movement, thus with this album, you are guaranteed to have ants in your legs. Tamala, a distribution of your partner of at least 10 years MALI K7 SA.