Zani

Zani Diabaté and Daouda 'Flani' Sangaré in Groningen NL, Sept. 2006 (photo: wrldsrv)

It is with great sadness that I inform you of the loss of another great musician. Today Malian musician Zani Diabaté has passed away in a hospital in Paris, France, after suffering a stroke.
He was entering the studio to continue recording when he collapse and was rushed to hospital.

Zani was a great guitarist, a dedicated leader and co-founder of the legendary Super Djata Band, and from the beginning of this century a director of the Ballet National du Mali. But more than that he was a great family man, a dear and warm friend and a very nice and open guy.
I have many, very fond memories of Zani, and hope to share some of these with you in this blog in the future.

On this sad occasion, with the deep shock of the news of his death, I find it very hard to dig too deep in his extensive oeuvre, but I can assure you that there will be many more gems featuring Zani Diabaté in this blog.
For the moment I would like to share with you this video from Zani's heyday as leader of the Super Djata Band, recorded during a concert in Angoulême, France in 1984. The song is an ode to Zani, and is a demonstration of Zani's tremendous skills as a guitarist. The video also features the two great singers (and dancers) Daouda 'Flani' Sangaré and Alou Fané, who unfortunately are also no longer with us...



My condolences go to Zani's family, and especially to his son, who is following in the impressive footsteps of his father.

May Zani rest in peace.

EDIT: December 11, 2010: Apparently this post has been premature. See "Rectification".