Christian Mousset, Producer
"The Malian music is unique in the world"
Artistic director of the festival “musiques métisses d’Angoulême” (France) and Director of the production label Marabi, Mr. Christian Mousset has just stayed in Mali. In the interview he gave to us this impassioned of the Malian and African music told us the object of his stay and made a panorama of the festival “musiques métisses” and its impact on the artists Malians, etc.

Interview.
Mag: What is the reason of your stay in Bamako?
Christian Mousset: In addition to my cap of artistic director of the festival “musiques métisses d’Angoulême”, I am also responsible of a company of production: Marabi. I’m in the production since more than twenty years. Thus, in 1980, I have produced a disc of the Diata Band. I then put my experience at the service of Label Bleu where I had the chance to produce the Super Rail Band, Rokia Traoré, Boubacar Traoré "Kar Kar", Balaké Sissoko, etc. After eleven years with the Label Bleu, I decided to create my own company of production baptized Marabi. I kept the contact with the Malian artists. And I came to produce the albums of Djely Mady Tounkara and Kar-Kar.

- What motivated this choice?
C.M: I have discovered the Malian music through the Rail Band. I have always admired the style of Djelimady Tounkara at the guitar, especially when he accompanied Salif Kéita, Mory Kanté… After having produced two albums of the Rail Band, among which Mansa, I had a great desire to try an experience with Djelimady (in solo) that I consider, with Sékou Diabaté "Sékou Bembeya", as being the best guitarists of West Africa. Djélimady managed to create his style. We had a first experience called Sigui. But, this opus did not meet my expectations because we did not have the musicians we needed. This time, we had to work on a real musical project. And, for the circumstance, he was surrounded with young musicians and singers who spread out an enormous potential.
With regard to Kar Kar, it’s another story. I have produced Sagolo and Maciré at Label Bleu. I have also taken part in the film which was devoted to him, " Je chanterai pour toi (I will sing for you)", and I have produced the music of this film in Europe for my Label. This time, I managed to convince him to compose new songs. I am sure that this album will surprise a lot. There are especially three titles that he made with Yoro Diallo, "Tiécorobani", playing the Kamalen ngoni. On this album, one will find also Kèlètigui Diabaté (Balaphon), Balaké Sissoko (Kora) and Vincent Bucher (Harmonica) who already played with Loby Traoré. The album of Djelimady will be release at the end of the year and Kar Kar’s one, probably in February 2005. And I want to invite them to the next edition of the festival of Angoulême. Just like Adama Yalomba and Yoro Diallo.

- Do you plan to produce others Malian artists apart from Kar Kar and Djelimady?
C.M: I’m interested especially in the quality and the originality of the music. The result is that my choice is very limited compared to the national producers whose public target is not confronted to the same linguistic barriers of that of a French even European public. My wish is not only to produce an artist, but also to be able to sell his products and make him turn everywhere in the world. For example, it’s not sure that I produce a female griot. This is not my univers…

- What motivated the creation of the “festival de musiques métisses”, thirty years ago?
C.M: Our objective was to promote the African music and of its Diaspora by offering a space of expression and exchanges to the artists. The idea was to produce the urban music which emerged in Africa after the period of independences. Our ambition was also to show to the Western public that extraordinary and original things occur on this continent as regards artistic creation. Mali was the first country on which I concentrated. I thus made, in 1981, the Super Biton of Ségou and the Kanaga of Mopti come. These two orchestras were followed, the following years by Kandia Kouyaté, Salif Kéita, Zani Diabaté in order to show that these are various and original cultural richness in Mali.

-Apart from the originality, what other assets did Mali have at that time?
C.M: I also requested artists of Guinea-Conakry, of Senegal… But, I confess that the Malian music appeared to me as being the most interesting and the most authentic. The chance of Mali was that, since the independence, there was a conjugation between a regime which supported the emergence of a modern music and an exceptionally rich tradition. This symbiosis, between this concrete political good-will and the talent of the musicians, gave to the Malian music a dominant position in West Africa. And I think that it’s still the case.

- How do you see the Malian music today?
C.M: If everyone seeks today to produce the Malian artists, it means that, in this country, there is a musical colour unique in the World. It has a universality which the Malians do not suspect. I’ve seen great guitarists of Jazz dumbfound when listening to Djelimady’s play. I think that the opening of a conservatory is a very good thing because it will allow to perpetuate the musical history of this country which has unsuspected and unexploited artistic and cultural potentialities.

– What does a festival like « musiques métisses » bring to the musical radiance of Mali?
C.M: it’s the only festival which, during years, made evolve at least two Malians in each edition. We were the first to make Salif Kéïta come to France in 1984. And Rokia is my last "Baby" in Angouleme. It’s not only a festival, it’s also a vast market of promotion with the presence of buyers, promoters of shows and a great number of journalists.

- What impressions do you have from this stay in Mali?
C.M: I love Mali; I have lot friends in the musical world here. The artistic life is richer today than three even four to five years ago. Bamako became a musical crossroads with almost all the genres. In spite of the economic crisis and piracy, there are reasons to keep hope for the future of the Malian music because the Malian artists do not give up. I come to Mali almost every year. And there is much contact between Mali and Angouleme which is twinned to the town of Segou. We have even young Malian players in the foot club of Angoulême. I leave with very good impressions on Mali. And I will soon return for the release of the albums of Djélimady and Kar Kar.

By the side of Malik7
For the school and academic re-entry of 2004 – 2005 Malik7 SA did its best to allow every one to have good moments of relaxation. And several albums were put on sale. It’s the albums of Youssou Ndour "Live" at Bercy with guests such as Rokia Traoré, Jocelyne Beroard and Jacob Devareux, of Adama Diabaté who is back to us with a double melodious album, of Shien Koumaré, a first release which reserves pleasant surprises, of Kia Maouloud, the new ambassadress of Tombouctou. In addition to these albums, your company of disc also offers you products “100% young people” easy to digest. The rising generation of Malian rappers. In the forefront, we note the children of the street (Guérebou Kounkan) finally decided to follow the way of wisdom, an album surprising as well by the quality of the sound as by the richness of the messages: anw fana yé mali denw yé… (we are also the sons of this country…) summarize all. JamaKan, under the crook of Barou Diallo Yéelen Productions, Jamakan while affirming their attachment to the Fatherland launches a cry of alarm on the evils from which youth suffers: AIDS, S.O.S Child. «An Bou Faga " is the title of the album of Massa Koro(the kings of Korofina). They intend not only to crush all on their passage but to not keep under silence the tares of the Malian society through the titles like poverty, wari (money), AIDS and the Malian foot.
At the second rank Amen-fis as well as Ledieuduçoleil. Amen-fis speaks about the destiny even if he protests against the exploitation of the man by the man and Ledieuduçoleil thanks good God through the generic title of the album "Sur papier je remercie le Dieu (On paper I thank God)".
All these albums give matter to reflect on the becoming of the Malian and African youth. Do not wait any more, the k7 are from now on available on the whole of the territory.