Bembeya
Jazz
To
go for new adventures to prove it resurrection! This is the ambition
of the famous Bembeya Jazz. A mythical musical band which is coming
back on stage with a new album which will be soon available in Mali
K7. The first recording of the band since 14 years, the band has been
formed in the 60e. The release of this album “Bembeya”
is a real event in Africa and anywhere the orchestra has played. The
critics see in it “the beginning of a new exciting chapter in
the life of one of the best dance orchestra of Africa”. A new
take off always with the virtuoso soloist Sékou Bembeya Diabaté
"Diamond Fingers". Dazzling guitars, beautiful vocal harmonies,
sparkling bass tones… translate the beauty of the album and
the proud ness and joy that made Bembeya authentic since the beginning.
The prominent persons such as Mohamed Kaba, Condé Mory Mangala
and Papa Kouyaté stayed faithful to this philosophy.
This makes that “the authenticity, the spirit, the groove and
the singular creativity of the powerful entity are still intact”.
The inspiration of this new recording is draw from the inexhaustible
source of Bembeya in order to constitute to be triumphant. The ones
who thought that they would take their place can prepare themselves
to leave. The baobab has resisted the storm.
A baobab, the late Sékou Touré has planted in 1961 thought
the ambitious project of creation of artistic national and international
bands: “bands which would be able to promote the African new
nation spirit”. A young nation wanting to close definitively
the chapter of colonisation avoiding by all means acculturation. At
that time, Beyla, a town of Mali near Ivory Coast, made herself distinguished
by her cultural and artistic vitality. So there the initiative of
Ahmed Sékou Touré has been well received. At that period,
Sékou Diabaté had already left the familial house to
try his chance in Conakry and Kankan. So he first refused to return
back home to involve in the new band. “I said I don’t
go. My uncle told me: Sekou, listen to me. I’m the younger brother
of your father. If you don’t come with me, I’ll say it
to every body in Kankan. You know our laws. I can oblige you to come
with me.” I then made up my luggage to return back to Beyla
with my uncle” said the "Diamond Fingers".
Thanks to him, the fame of the band spreads quickly beyond the town
of Beyla. The members decide to call the band “Bembeya “.it’s
the name of the river that goes through Beyla. Their successes at
national and international competitions give them rapidly the status
of National band. The band then moves to Conakry where they meet Kélétigui
and his “tambourines”, Balla and his “Baladins”
and the Horoya. The competition is hard. The Bembeya is sometimes
obliged to play up to six times a week to keep his place of leader.
In 1963, the Bembeya receives two friends singers: Aboubacar Demba
Camara and Salifou Kaba. An arrival that coincide with the need to
develop a more original and exciting new repertoire. “Every
week we tried new songs to attract the public. We were obliged to
create”, remembers Salif. The band then incorporates Mandingo
folklore to the composition, “a glance on the past”. This
brings to the band an historical and brilliant victory during the
competition Sékou Touré had organised to commemorate
the memory of the emperor Almamy Samory Touré. Always in search
of an original style, Sékou Diabaté adds two rhythmical
guitars and develops his own way of playing by using Hawaiian guitars
on some tracks. Then at the beginning of the 70s appear the dancers.
It’s a decisive turning point toward legend and myth because
the band had thus created a fabulous scenically shows. All this innovations
had been later on imitated every where in Africa, especially in Mali
with orchestras such as Soci Stars, les Messagers, las Maravilas (Badema),
Ciwaara Band, Sidiyassa, Super Biton, Kanaga, et Bronconi…
The advantage and surge the band had taken was suddenly broken by
the tragic and accidental death of Aboubacar Demba Camara in Dakar.
His mates took a lot of time to recover from this inestimable loss.
This period was all the more difficult since the economical problems
of Guinea began a few times after. The crisis was every where and
very harsh. Fortunately the Bembeya managed to maintain and even to
take a new start with Sékouba Bambino Diabaté who brought
a new blood to the venerable band. Before disappearing, Ahmed Sékou
Touré is obliged to privatize national orchestras and gave
to each of them a club so that they can ear a living. Sékou
Diabaté still remembers this period especially the speech of
the late father of Guinean revolution: Sékou Touré said:
“if you like it, all right; otherwise, we’ll see what
else we can do for you”. Unfortunately, he dies a few months
after said "Diamond Fingers".
Working became very difficult for dancing orchestras. Producers and
the public were turned toward new artist, fact that obliged Sékouba
Bambino Diabaté to try his chance in solo. The Bembeya will
then be obliged to content with the rare opportunities they had to
make shows. This condemns the musician to search other means to survive.
In 1990, Sékou Diabaté recorded a hit with his wife
the divine Dianka Diabaté. It is followed by a whole instrumental
album recorded by the virtuoso himself and christened "Diamond
Fingers". The guitar player then almost move in Paris where he
has more opportunities to show and use his talent
In 1998, guinea and almost all Africa must celebrate the centenary
of Samory Touré. Sékou is called back to Conakry to
reform the Bembeya for the event. “The band wasn’t broken.
It’s just that in life there are ups and downs, good and bad
times” said the leader. Since 1988, the band had not entered
a studio so the reunion is an occasion to restart the great adventure
and put an end to the music lovers’ nostalgia. A few times later,
the director of the festival "Musiques Métisses d'Angoulême",
Christian Mousset invites the Bembeya for the festival and to record
a new album. Thus, the Bembeya did his great return on European scenes
last year. After the festival, the dozen artists stayed in Angoulême
to record despite the absence of Bambino. This retrospective work
is composed of remix of older songs of the 60s-70s (Bembeya, Sanfaran,
Sabou, Lefa, Yèlèma Yèlèmaso and Soli
toWassoulou) and of new songs. The mythical band proves by this great
return that he’s ready for new adventures. For the critics,
at a time where almost all The great orchestras born with independence
have disappeared, the rebirth of the Bembeya jazz is a good news for
the music lovers. For the African young generation of musicians also
as they can inspires from the Bembeya. On august 7th, Bembeya will
be every where on the territory.
The
King is back
Lassy King Massassy, more known with the nickname “king”
is back with a new album Niokala So( horse made of wood). Niokala
So is a splendid album that will mark the return of the king in the
Malian rap movement after the desertion of Daouda and Diarra who left
for other was. The king began in the 90s by creating his band with
late Tidiane Traoré. They produced an album "Farafina
farafin"which permitted them to make a tour of 24 concerts in
the 
USA.
1996, together with Daouda and Diarrakè, they formed a rap
band king da dia which will unquestionably dominate the Malian Hip-Hop
movement. This dictator ship will make the band invited by Salif Kéita
at the “Cité de la musique “ and at the “la
Cigale in Paris”. King exert a real monarchy in he concerts
and in differents bands in France, in ivory coast and in Burkina.
In 1998, he began a solo carrier and adds to his nickname King LKM
(Lassy King Massassy). At the same time, he plays theatre with the
group “l’atelier de Bamako”and make a tour of more
than one hundred representations with the director Georges Bigot,
ex-actor of Ariane Mnouchkine. Niokala Soshows the maturity of the
artist. It will be on sale in the second part of august by Mali K7
SA. Becarful!! Demand the label Mali K7 SA on the tapes and the stickers
BUMDA. It’s only by this way that our artists will manage to
make a living on their art and continue to make dream.
Yéli
persistent offender
After the huge success his concert of July 12th had met, Yéli
Fuzzo organises another one for July 30th at the palace of culture
at 4 pm. Tickets: 1 000 FCFA and his new album “"je rap
donc je suis” will be put on sale on the show place at only
1 000 FCFA. Seize this chance to buy tapes without being tricked.
Products of SNK; Ta K Mi and Magic Black Men will also be on sale
there at the same price. Don’t miss it!
