Amy Koïta
was born in Djoliba at the eve of the African independences, at the beginning of the fifties, at 40 kilometres from Bamako, in the heart of the deep Mandé, on the borders of the Niger River and a few-hour walk from Guinea.
Her mother is from Kirina, place of the famous fight of Sundiata Keïta at the XIII century. She's proud of her pure Mandingo origins. She lost her father since the age of 3. This one, Bengaly Fodé Koïta, traditionalist of the pure and hard line, is still well-known in Mali for his contribution to the historic of conquests of the kings and emperors of the Mandé such as Sundiata Keïta, and to the different colonial battles led by war chiefs such as Samory Touré, emperor of the wassoulou, Babemba king of Sikasso, Tiramangan Traoré, Fakoly Doumbia, El Hadj Oumar Tall etc.
At his father's death, she went to Bamako with her mother. She will always have special links with Djoliba. Her grand-mother, who reached the age of 100 and died in 1992, stays her constant inspiration source by her model of Mandingo purity in opposition to the hybrid language and culture of the great towns.
Wa Kamissoko, her mother's brother, famous international historian to have written with Youssouf Tata Cissé a part of the Mandingo history (Les Grandes Gestes du Mali); will take care of her education.
Amy is from a griot family. Her father, by his fidelity to the old chief of Djoliba memory, made the vow to never praise again after his death. So she learned with her mother: for the songs and the vocal fluctuations very important for the griots. From her grand mother: the behaviour, the sensitiveness, the respect of the traditions, and from her uncle, Wa Kamissoko, the knowledge of true history, without any deformation, in perfect harmony with music. She follows her mother in all her representations. She then learned the vocal techniques and the rules of the behaviour of a woman of honour. At 12, she's already a star wanted in all children parties. Amy was revealed in 1966, during a singing competition organized in Mali to recruit the best voices and knowledge of history for the National instrumental Ensemble of Mali. It's the beginning of a lightning carrier.
At 17, she enters the famous and glorious National instrumental Ensemble of Mali, with which she makes tours and discovers the greatest scenes of the world. She also makes, with this ensemble, her first recording in studio at radio Mali.
In 1977, at the Festival of Negro arts in Lagos (Nigeria), she makes herself noticed near the greatest voices of Africa, among which were Sory Kandia Kouyaté of Guinea, fact that pushes her, as soon as she's back in Mali, to leave the National instrumental Ensemble of Mali to make a solo carrier.
In 1978, her first tape is put on sale. Since this moment, griots produced themselves only for private partners. She's among the first artists who have inversed this tendency.
As well as her melodious voice even when shrilling, her extraordinary transmission of history, Amy is also admired for the quality of her compositions. She found her inspiration in the tradition which she enriches with the contact of modernity.
"When I tried modern orchestration, she says, I was afraid to loose my elder fans, but in the contrary, they were the first to encourage me".
In fact, this very limited modernity doesn't destroy at all the large and quiet Mandingo swaying on which Amy's voice explodes in the purest tradition of clarity and liberty.

Her new album "africawé" recorded at the studio Bogolan will be put on sale this Thursday 26 June 2003 on the national and the international market. We'll come back on it.

Music through celebration
20th June 1983 - 20th June 2003! Music's day has just reach 20 years old. As it's a custom for a few years now, the day will be brilliantly celebrated in Mali. Apart from the artistic shows planned by the French Cultural Centre (CCF) and the palace of culture Amadou Hampaté Bâ, some cultural and artistic manifestations are planned for the public spaces in all the six administrative subdivisions of Bamako. This event arouses some considerable fad in our country as in the whole world. Launched by Jacques Lang, socialist minister of culture in France at that time, music's day is today a large-scale cultural event celebrated almost every where in the world. It passes the French and francophone framework. It's the occasion to show the cultural diversity and exception around the world every year.

Wassoulou atmosphere
The artists of the Wassoulou are really decided to offer to their region a cultural centre worthy of their talent. For that they have undertaken concerts around the country. These concerts are animated by twelve top of the bill who have made a show in Sikasso and Koutiala on last 13th and 14th June. Spectacles which, according to the inkling we had, attracted a lot of people. This is not astonishing when we know the popularity and talent of the different artists who were on the different scenes. Appetite coming through eating, the artists of the Wassoulou's ambition is to make a tour of Mali. Next stop : "stadium Amary Daou" in Segou.

Mali in Europe
Ali Farka Touré's heir apparent, Afel Bocoum has taken back pilgrimage stick for a new European tour. He's invited to three famous festivals in Europe. Thus, 27th June 2003, he's awaited in Dijon (France) for "Tribu festival" and two days after in Holland for "Hertme Festival".
Between these two dates, Afel Bocoum will make a show in Denmark, in Roskilde. The international carrier of this young talent, stayed to long in the shadow of his uncle and teacher, is getting more and more size due to Mali K7 judicious and efficient management.
Apart from Afel, a lot of Malian artists are demanded on international scenes.
It's the case with the Rail Band which pursues its tour in which there will be festivals such as "Musiques Metisses" of Angoulême, "Roskillde" in Danemark, "Chalons in Champagne" France, "Bocage", in France…
The Rail Band will also make a show in Great Britain, in Reunion Island, in Belgium and on other French scenes.
It's the great return of Djéli Mady Tounkara's band.
And Europe is opening to Malian music. This is an implicit recognition of our artists' talents.
(For more details see "live dates")

Bowboï on stage
After a great success in the sales of her album, Rokia Traoré and her band will make a unique concert at the cinema Babemba on Friday 27th June 2003 at 20.30. "Place 3.000 FCFA" (4,57 €), don't wait any more! Book your seats right now at the cinema Babemba, in CCF and by Mali k7; places are limited.

My life is my music
Music eases the customs
Music softens life
So life is music
And music is life.
Especially for those who make a job of it. We ear a living by listening to music. So let us not be selfish. Let's allow musicians to live of music. They soften our life and customs. Let's make their life nice and happy so they can continue to give us pleasure. Every successful song is the result of sleepless nights, of long and tiring repetitions, of hard days spent in the studio. Not forgetting the financial investments it needs. But for what result? In all the cases, this work doesn't bring anything to our artists. Neither to us because the pirate works we byuy for they are cheaper don't give us any satisfaction in the sound. Taken into account that we are always in conflict with our own consciousness; because by acting this way, we condemn honest and courageous workers to misery, to decay and death in indifference. Which one of you is working for such an end? Each one of us is working to get far away from need, boredom and vice. Each of us is acting in order to make our artists confronted to these three difficulties. Now you know, so don't contribute any more to condemning our artists to decay? Don't by pirate works anymore.
Music eases the customs
Music softens life
So life is music
And music is life
The life of our artists.

King Moseto