SALIF KEITA’S GOLDEN VOICE

The ancient Kingdom of Mali (1200-1500 A.D.) always produced charismatic and progressive leaders like Mansa Musa and Sundiata Keita. This rendered it a geo-political force in the West of Africa in the thirteenth century. Mali was then a fundamental axis of commerce and religion between Africa and Arabia. Mali further contained a rich heritage of folklore (carvings and pottery for example). Its oral lore had the extraordinary griots that still transcend historical significance to retain a special abode in West Africa’s verbal history.

Eight centuries later in Mali one of the Niger delta states and also one of the states that belonged to that empire and which had initially been known as French Sudan and Sudanese republic (shortly before independence with Senegal as the second part of this republic), a new African leader of sorts arose. Shortly after the Second World War and as African countries began to consolidate their struggles for independence, the legendary Salif keita was born into the Mandika people as a direct descendent of Sundiata Keita (who founded the Mali empire after the fall of the Ghana empire in 1235). Salif Keita born in 1949 went on to become a living symbol of Africa’s voluminous contribution to world music.

Salif Keita at the same time is a living negation of the disability is inability principle. Born an albino, in Djoliba Mali he began singing in infancy and by the age of eighteen (seven years after Mali’s independence) migrated to perform in Bamako the capital city of independent Mali. From a regular club performer he joined the sixteen-piece ‘Rail Band’, which was patronised by the Government of Mali. Their style, a fusion of Afro (especially Congolese)-Cuban rhythms brought them regular occupancy at the ‘Buffet – Hotel De La Gare’ a plush hotel in proximity of the Bamako railway station. (This railway line runs from Koulikora to Bamako and on to Dakar Senegal on the tip of the West Coast of Africa. It is vital as a major gateway out of land locked Mali). With this band Salif went on to release albums ‘Orchestre Rail Band De Dakar’ in 1971 on Barenreiter Musicaphone. Later the group released ‘Melodias Rail Band Du Mali’; ‘Concert Rail Band Du Mali’ were released in 1976 both on the Kouma label.

After releasing a series of records with the ‘Rail band’ some on the Barenreiter Musicaphone label based in Germany, at the age of twenty five, Salif mature in vocal and stage delivery, joined another band called Les Ambassedeurs, with compatriot, guitar virtuouso Kante Manfila who had been his band leader. Sonodisc and Sonafric France signed them through this band to Safari Ambiance with global distribution. Albums during this period they released different volumes of the albums ‘Les Ambassadeur Du Motel’ in 1975, 1976 and 1977. In 1978 he released with Leon Keita an album ‘Leon Keita’ on Papa Disco records.

Consistent performance and recording announced the Les Ambassedeur sound to the rest of Africa. Salif as front man for the band. They received the prestigious National Order Of Guinea Award from President Ahmed Sekou Toure of Guinea in the mid 70s. This led to the release of the single ‘Manjou’ on the Celluloid label in 1979 where Salif and his band paid tribute to Sekou Toure and also handled the history of Mali. The band continued the hit-making course with the monster hit ‘primpin’ that was contained on ‘the best of the Ambassedeurs’ (1983) on Celluloid.

In 1979 he recorded and released two volumes of ‘dans l’authenticite’ with Manifla Kante on the Badmos label. Ambassadeur Internationale followed in 1980 on Badmos ,Salif Keita and Les Ambassadeur Internationaux in 1981 two albums with the title ‘Ambassadeur Internationaux’ on Sakos.

Political upheavals and the quest for international appeal drove the band to Ivory Coast (where Houphet Boigny had presided over a very stable socio-economic and political situation). In Abidjan the capital city, they found a convenient atmosphere for the production of the music as it had established a mark as a leading centre for music of the French speaking Africa.It was in Abidjan still on Celluloid that they released the hit singles and ‘Djougouya (1983) and Tounkan (1984)’.

Keita following a disagreement with Manfila broke out in 1984 and formed Super Ambassadeurs and also relocated to Montreuil in Paris and settled with the growing collective of African musicians based there.Guinea’ Mory kante(with whom he recorded) was one of these as well as Senegal’s Toure Kunda and Congo’s Ray Lema ,Papa Wemba and Cameroun’s Manu Dibango.This move to Paris furthered Keita’s dream of becoming a global star.He did a landmark album ‘Soro’ in 1987 released first on Island and Celluloid and also Stern Records.

Salif is part of the elite African musicians who have cut across ages and generations in the performance of unique and fused musics from Africa. With releases every single year from 1971 to date Salif defied disability and the hands of time. In 2002 Universal release ‘Mouffou’ in all aspects was the true classic. He still propels his trademark harmonisation of the West African soundscape with latino influences especially in his selection of local instruments (Kora, Balafon and the T neck Djembe) with foreign guitars, Saxophones and Organs.