Souley
Kanté, Artist
Any new release of Souley
Kanté on the musical market is an event. So the fans of
the “son” of your servitor will be spoilt in the end of
this year because their idol is coming back on stage with too sumptuous
album.
"Nagnuman" and "Bi Magni" are the two new albums
of Souley Kanté.
The both confirm the talent of the young artist coming from Wassoulou.
The wonderful melodies cleverly arranged by Alassane
Soumano translate the maturity of the artist. In order to present
a master piece to his fans as usual, the artist surrounded himself
with virtuoso such as Amadou Boso, Kassim Sidibé, Bassidy and
new revelation of Malian music such as Kadi Samaké (Massélalah)
and Sadio Sidibé for the chorus. The two albums are produced
by Jaamnaty Production of the very dynamic Aly Landouré and
they will be released on December 2nd, 2003.
The first album "Nagnuman" is a classical work of 4 tracks
in the spirit and in the melody “Sumu”. “It’s
a first experience that responds to the expectation of several fans.
They were waiting that of me for so long. So I was anxious to give
them back in my way the love they have for me” said Souley
Kanté. The second album "Bi Magni" has eight
tracks and criticises the bad things of our society.
Born in 1964 in Sikorolen (Wassoulou), Souley
Kanté explained that he was obliged to left school early
because his family needed workers for the fields. He explains that
he has always had a lot of pleasure in singing and that he “has
always had the best marks in music at school before he left. But it’s
Coumba Sidibé
who gave me the envy to make an artistic career with the success of
her song "Djiyayébanan" which inspired me a lot.
So I prayed to have her talent and have success as much or more than
her”. At the beginning, Souley
worked with instruments’ players such as Siné Sidibé,
Bénogo Diakité and Satigui Sidibé. His reputation
spreading beyond the frontiers of the Wassoulou, he decided to come
to live in the capital in order to have more opportunities to realise
his dream: a real artistic career.
Thus he formed a band with the famous Sali Sidibé
before making tours with the great diva Oumou
Sangaré. “After this experiences that have been
very enriching for me, I decided to make a solo career”
explains the virtuoso of the kamelen
n’goni. With his first album "Djinèko",
Souley Kanté
was considered as a sure asset of the Malian music. It is confirmed
by hits such as "Fulaso", "Fasya", "Kôrôlen"
and "Bi Magni" and "Nagnuman" which will soon
be available on the radios.
All the works of Souley
have been real success. “I don’t sing only for the
pleasure. I take time to compose my songs so they can bring something
more to those who will listen to them. And to satisfy music lovers,
I inspire myself from the human behaviour, from social events, scourges
traditions and customs…” he said to explains his
success; success which is unfortunately not translated financially.
He reckoned with bitterness and disappointment that he has never taken
advantages from the success of his albums. Who’s guilty? “I
think that the cupidity of the producers is the most important sore
of the Malian music, they are the first pirates! The interest of the
artist doesn’t mean anything to them. The essential for them
is to have the maximum with the sales of the works and for that; they
are able to come to terms with the devil. The rights of the artists
are nothing to them” said the young smith.
In his opinion, the best arm to fight against piracy is the union
of the artists and the adoption of severe laws against the scourge.
In the meantime he’s been wise enough to change his producer
and confide his destiny to Jaamnaty Production. The cooperation began
two years ago with "Kôrôlen" and continued with
"Bi Magni" and "Magnuman". Aly Landouré
is serious and like is job. He cares about the interest of his artists
but also about their lives. He’s one of the rare producers to
make the promotion correctly… “I like his way of working
and I think that I will succeed to do a lot of things with him”
said the star of Sikorolen.
Artist, auto engineer, smith and traditional doctor, Souley
Kanté hopes to conquer Africa and the whole world with
the help of Jaamnaty and Mali K7. “Despite the success I
have in my country, I’ve never had the chance to go on tours
since I began my solo career. I hope I will fill this gap by try to
enter the international show-biz”. He’s aware that
the success of these two albums can be a stepping stone to realise
his dream. So he hopes that his fans will support and help him in
this way. The best way to help an artist is to sell or buy only legal
works with the stickers of the Bumda.
Back
to his owner…
In the Mag of last week (N°39), we said that the animator Bradox
calls Lassy King Massassy
“the strong man of the regime”. This nickname
is in fact the one of Yéli
Fuzzo who’s presently studying in the United States and
we apologize to him for this confusion and with the same occasion
we encourage him. The nickname of Lassy
King Massassy is King.
The concert of dedication of his album will take place at the palace
of culture on December 6th, 2003 instead of the stadium Mamadou Konaté
as previously announced.
France
grateful
“The child of the Khasso” Habib
Koité and "Bambara Bluesman" Lobi
Traore will receive at the end of the week the distinction of
the "Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et Lettres" at the residence
of the ambassador of France in Mali. This distinction is one of the
four ministerial ones of France and one of the principal decorations
to honour persons who have won fame by their artistic or literary
creations or by their contribution to the radiance of culture in France
and in the world. He will receive this distinction from the hand of
his Excellency Nicolas Normand, extraordinary and plenipotentiary
French Ambassador in Mali.
End
of tour
Oumou Sangaré
and her band are back from the tour which followed her distinction
as « ambassador of the FAO ». By World Circuit, they are
activating for the release of her Best of; a double album retracing
the whole career of the diva of the Wassoulou.
The musicians of Rokia
Traoré came back last Monday from Paris where they ended
the program of promotional concerts of the rose. They will stay in
Bamako for two months before going for the United States at the beginning
of February 2004. After 30 concerts in Europe, the musicians are at
last with their family and spent a good feast of the Ramadan.