Some updates

A few updates on earlier posts.

You may remember those great videos by that majestic Malian diva Kandia Kouyaté (here, here and here). When I met her in Bamako last year Lucy Duran pointed out to me that it was unlikely, if not completely incorrect, that Kandia was 18 when these videos were recorded. I told her I was inclined to agree with her but was hesitant to correct this, as the 'grand dame' herself was the source of this information. She had told me this when I interviewed her in 1990 (photo - by the great Ton Verhees - on the right). Lucy has since reminded me in an email. She wrote: "Mali TV opened in 1983 and Kandia was born in 1958. I first met her in 1986 which is around the time that she did songs like Moussolou. Bouba Sacko only joined her group in 1985, before that she had a 12 string guitarist from Kita called Kissima Diabate who was living in Abidjan, and with whom she recorded Amary Daou présente Kandia Kouyate. So Actually Kandia will have been around 27 or 28 when she filmed those clips. The presenter was Zoumana Yoro Traoré and the programme was probably 'Artiste et sa musique'."




Then some updates from Guinea.
Graeme Counsel (website!!) is in Conakry at the moment continuing his work digitising and preserving the archives of the RTG. He has tumbled upon the original reel containing the first track of side B of that superb album "Boum à Conakry". According to the notes and label of the album this is a track called "El Checheré" by the Orchestre de la Paillote. It turns out that this information is incorrect. In fact the song is by l'Orchestre Honoré Coppet, and was recorded either on February 2 or March 24, 1963 at the Bonne Auberge by a certain Katty using a Nagra III reel-to-reel recorder! And this "Katty", Graeme adds, is probably Emmanuel Kathy, a director of the Voix de la Révolution studios.
Honoré Coppet was born in Martinique and traveled to Senegal and Guinea in the late 1950s. He played alto saxophone in the Syli Orchestre Nationale.






And yesterday he reported that he has found a reel containing recordings by that amazing accordeon player Petit Moussa (you may remember the mind boggling cassette sleeve). Apparently the man is called Moussa Diawara. Graeme has added a photo of this amazing find. Let's hope (or if you like you may pray) that these recordings are as spectacular as the ones on the cassette!

That's all for now. More music to follow soon.

Grateful

In rummaging through my computer the other day I stumbled upon another video by that great Malian diva Kandia Kouyaté from her very first appearance on Malian television. I have posted two songs from this same concert before (here and here). But watching this I was again bowled over by the sheer power of her presence - at the age of only 18 (!) - and the total command she displays.

Look for yourself:

Note the cheeky look, after 0'48, followed by that heartmelting smile: isn't she just incredible?!

I gather the song is about good deeds (wale gnouma), about gratitude (wale gnoumandon) and about ingratitude (wale gnoumandonbaliya).
It's just that a mere "thank you" seems so insignificant after watching such a brilliant performance....

Moussolou (2)

I can get really annoyed by those who consider Oumou Sangaré to be the first Malian artist to sing about women's issues. Those who have visited the country will agree that there is not (and has never been) a lack of 'strong' women in Mali. I would even go so far as to state that the country has managed to survive mainly by the efforts of the female population.

The plight of women has been the subject of great singers long before Oumou. The topics may have changed with the times, but the message has remained essentially the same.
All things considered Kandia Kouyaté has always been a symbol of the determination and strength of Malian women and doesn't even have to sing about women to achieve this. One only has to look at her, performing on Malian television at the age of 18, to see the incredible personality and power of this Grand Dame of Malian music. Here she is in another video from the early 1980s, a song entitled "Moussolou" (women)...


You may have noted that I have added the chat with presenter Zoumana Yoro Traoré. Even if you don't understand a word of Bambara you will have to acknowledge the confidence shown by this young star...

Her first lp, recorded with the help of fan and sponsor Amary Daou, offers more proof of this confidence and of Kandia's strong personality. Just listen how she announces the titles of the tracks.
My favourite track on this is the last, but there are really no weaker tracks on this great album by one of Mali's alltime superstars.

In the near future I will post more music and more videos of Kandia, including some material which has not been previously released.

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Diva

In Likembe's recent post of African Divas (very enjoyable, by the way) one diva is missing in my opinion. When you watch this video you'll have to agree that Kandia Kouyaté even at the age of 18 met all the requirements. This clip is from her first performance on Malian television. But her self-assured smile straigth into the camera, that megapower voice, all the little gestures: this is a true diva!

Kandia is still active, and I have heard that she has recently recovered from a long illness. I'll post some more of her music in later posts.

The video is from the early 1980s and unfortunately has suffered a bit through time.