SALIF
KEITA, STAR OF MUSIC
“The Malians producers are pirates”
“The white horse”, Salif
Keita, hasn’t calmed down about the jealous who denigrate
him because he refuses to let people speak about him in his back.
Yet, the detractors of the child of the Djoliba try to destroy him
because he refused to take part in the biennales.
The mega star then gives his version of the story. Then it’s
a very angry “Domingo” of music that we met in his cosy
house of Boulkassoumbougou-Kouloubléni. His anger doesn’t
prevent him to tell us about his patriotism, his political engagement,
women, love… before leaving for a tour of one month (we’ll
have the pleasure to present you the program of the tour in our next
edition) in Europe and in the islands. In this edition, we give you
a part of his words about the biennale and the music in general.
INTERVIEW
Mag:
you’ve been one of the great absent of the scene of the animation
of the biennale. What can justify this absence?
Salif Keita: I know
that biennale has begun again and it’s a very good thing. But
I haven’t been officially invited like the other artists. I’m
surprised and above all deceived that I haven’t been invited.
It’s difficult to show oneself in an event to which you haven’t
been invited.
And yet, according to the gossips, you have simply refused the
invitation of the organisers?
I’m surprised. But I think that these gossips come from the
middlemen who seem to hold a lot of things against me. They tire themselves
for nothing because they won’t manage to bring discord between
me and Cheick (Cheick Oumar Sissoko, minister of Culture, NDLR). He
was a friend, he’s still today and he’ll be a friend even
after the ministry. I appreciate his professional and human qualities,
his talent, his engagement and his moral integrity. And I know that
he won’t believe to the lies and slanders of these jealous who
doesn’t want Mali to progress and spend their time speaking
in the back of honest and devoted citizen. These artist and some of
your colleagues hold a grudge against me for having refused to play
their game. They are not more patriots than me. I’ve invested
170 millions cfa (260.000,00 €) in Mali without earning any profit
because I love my country. I engaged people in my cultural space,
“the Moffou” and it doesn’t earn a penny. I pay
them because it’s my modest contribution to the struggle against
unemployment I defy anybody to prove that he’s more patriot
than Salif Keita. From
1963 to 2003, I’ve got only success. And some are jealous of
that and can’t stand hearing my name. They hold a grudge against
me because I’ve refused to enter their scheming to support the
image of my country, because I refuse to give my backing to mediocrity.
I demand to the authorities to refer to me directly when they need
me and not to pass by middlemen any more.
Don’t you think that your engagement, your outspokenness
disturb a lot of people?
Thanks to God, my talent allows me to live decently and not to bow
my head in front of anybody. No one can corrupt me nor manipulate
me. That’s what disturbs my detractors who cannot have any other
arguments against me. All I want is to serve Mali and I don’t
ask anything in return. The proof is that during the ten years of
Alpha Oumar Konaré (ex-president of Mali) in Koulouba (place
where the presidents live and place of the government), the government
have given 200 millions of FCFA (305.000,00 €) per year for the
cultural promotion; so it makes 2 billions of FCFA (3.049.000,00 €)
in ten years on which I’ve never touch a penny as subvention.
But it doesn’t prevent me from investing in Mali. I’m
kept on the sidelines of a lot of event because of the prejudices
conveyed by my detractors. I want to take part in the development
of Mali. But I must have opportunities.
We are astonished that although so much fierceness against you,
you haven’t given up like so much others?
I will never give up because that’s what my enemies want. To
fight for the development of Mali must be a duty for any citizen of
Mali. How bad the character of a mother can be, we can’t and
we should not deny her. And what we owe a mother; we owe it to the
country. The interest of the country is the one of the mother, then
your interest. The country must put before every thing. But today,
the contrary is the more frequent. I’m proud to be a Malian
because I owe the Malians everything. Nothing will impeach me to invest
for this country. Even if it’s not recognised today, it’ll
be one day, I’m sure of it.
What
do you really think of the Biennale?
It’s a very good initiative. It has contributed to the formation
of a lot of artists of the country. It’s one of the manifestation
thank to which Mali has an artistic and cultural notoriety all over
the world.
Moffou is an album of rupture with your career. What can explain
this choice?
Each album of an artist must be a universe to discover. I’ve
never wanted my albums to resemble each other. It’s a sigh of
politeness toward music lovers. We can’t serve the same menu
to the fans. It’s not respectful.
Moffou
seems to be a will to free from the constraint of world music?
World music is a commercial concept that “ghettoises”
any music that not respects the occidental norms. Don’t Africans
play blues, jazz, rock…like everybody? The particularity of
Moffou is that, in comparison with the other albums, I don’t
demand anything. Because there were so many problems in the world
and our societies have suffered from diseases, from famine, from poverty
and wars, etc…then it’s no need to attract attention on
any thing. I’ve spoken of love only. Love between spouses, brothers,
friends, lovers… because in my opinion love is the remedy to
anything bad that affect our society. The corrupted and financial
delinquents haven’t the love of their country.
Moffou is not only an acoustic album, it’s also very romantic.
Is it as the image of the artist?
I’m romantic. Because I’ve put aside the social and political
demands. Despite the difficulties, I stayed optimistic. And I find
that romanticism is also a kind of engagement.
From 1963 to now, what have changed in your perception of music?
My musical culture has enriched a lot. I acquired a lot of experience.
I’ve met a lot of musicians from different culture all around
the world. From 1969 to 1973, I was with the Rail
Band which was opened to different musical influences such as
salsa. Then from 1973 to 1978, I was with the “Ambassadeurs.”
It was a specific in experience. I then realised that for a self-taught
musician, the best way to improve, is to go to meet other cultures,
other musicians and work with them to share their experience. And
that’s what I’ve done during my entire career.
What
do you think of the Malian music?
She has a huge notoriety in the entire world. But it has also a negative
impact because our musicians are loosing their originality. They let
themselves submerge by other concept. It’s interesting and enriching
to open to other influences, but, we must not lose our authenticity.
The more authentic we are, the more valour we’ll have. An originality
that makes that Malian music is one of the more appreciated ones in
the world. We must struggle to merit this place. We can stay roots
and make people dance. I think that a too much sophisticated music
is like a black woman who de-pigments herself: she‘s disgusting.
TO BE CONTINUED…
The
autumn tour 2003 of Rokia
Traoré began last Friday. This European tour will last
45 days and will go first through occidental Europe. It’s The
Italian town Turin that received the first part of this caravan on
Saturday 4th October. According to the echoes we had from Italy, Turin
reserved a warm welcoming to our rose and her companions; they profited
of the occasion to present the new album "Bowboï"(in
Mali) and "Bowmboï" in 'international (dates in live
page).
It’s
on next Saturday that Habib
Koité and his band will leave for their Australian tour.
From a source close to the edition society, it’s to conquer
the Australian market that doesn’t know very well the best West
African artist. The Australian conquest will pass by Paris where they’ll
make a stop for 48 hours. At the return, the child of the Khaso who
took part in the realisation of an instrumental disk with a Dutchman
and a South African will stop in Europe for a few dates of promotion
for this album.
Good
mention for Amadou Kodio and his team,
Maxi vacances arrived safe and sound to the palace of culture of Bamako
last Thursday. The band Empire Vocal
won the trophy of the singer and the best chorographical dancer’s
trophy went to Sunlight of Bamako Coura.
Let’s wait the edition 2004.
