#Mory Kanté

[tratadista]

Mory Kanté yeke yeke

[dustedmagazine]

Rail Band — S-T (Mississippi)

“Marabayasa” is a groove that transcends time and geography, a monstrous monolith of funk that follows a pied piper’s sax through strutting, swaggering, stop-motion syncopation. The singer, Malian legend Mory Kanté leads an exuberant call and response, his fluid, note-bending salvo met with an echo so rhythmic, so hip swaying that it commands motion. The guitars are high and golden-toned, the piano insistent on the offbeats. When Kanté launches an instrumental break with a reverberating “waa-aa-aah,” you feel that you’re there in the heat of it, sweating and grinning.It’s the standout track on the Rail Band’s 1973 debut, a record of scorching power and body-tingling joy, performed train-side at the Buffet Hotel de la Gare. The Rail Band, you see, was the state-sponsored musical outfit of the Malian railroad.

That 1970s band included both Kanté and Salif Keita singing, Tidiani Koné on trumpet and saxophone, Djelimandy Tounkara on guitar and numerous drummers, merging traditional African sounds with mambo from Cuba, and funk, soul and jazz from America. They played five nights a week at a café in the rail station in Bamako to locals, expats, visiting businessmen and travelers. To judge by this album, it was a hell of a way to while away the hours until departure, much better than airport CNN feeds, so good that you might decide not to leave.

Consider, for instance, the fluid big-band wallop of “Moko Jolo,” this one with Koné on trumpet and sax both, both horns floating in a haze over an impacted, side-shifting beat. Percussion, on the kit and played by hand, takes the foreground in “Nantan,” setting a wandering rhythm for guitars to snake through, a shifting, phantasmagorical foundation for shadowed group vocals, the sound of distance, heat and longing baked in. It’s all very fine, intricate but physically stirring, full of skill but inflamed with feeling. Still after a while, you might find yourself turning to “Marabayasa” again, because it cooks so hard.

Jennifer Kelly

[nekogarfield]

The lovely @shinigamitears tagged me to post my top 5 played songs right now!

Unfortunately i have never used Spotify in my life. I still download music on mp3 as if it was 2003. I've been listening to music that I've recently downloaded because i haven't passed my all time playlist from my ipod yet so it might not match very well to the music i always listen to, with that said, here's my recent top 5 that i can think of

-Mötley Crue wild side

-Giorgio Moroder baby blue

-Kool & the gang street corner symphony

-Holly Johnson atomic city

-Yes leave it

Gosh there's so many songs I just want to keep going

Eumir Deodato latin flute

Eumir Deodato super strut

The kinks living on a thin line

Berlin lost in the crowd

Mori Kanté tama

1000 ohm the claim

Madonna ray of light

Donald Byrd the emperor

Nena kino

That was a lot hahaha

I want to tag my friends, pretty much every mutual I've got, if i didn't tag you please don't hesitate on sharing too if you'd like ☺️❤️

@proonoia @girlsjustwannahavefun444 @shy-bewear @bbydollx36x @h-anon97 @justanothernpcartist @jisatsu-hime @kenshitty @kattyinfamousonisama @luzienarcotixa @when-people-whisper-it-makes-her @kittew

[psikonauti]

Mory Kanté - Yeke Yeke

[maximuswolf]

Mory Kanté - Yeke Yeke [Pop]

Mory Kanté - Yeke Yeke [Pop] https://youtu.be/e7fpLeTdxPA?si=8vcqW4wkx-sSXuOE Submitted June 02, 2024 at 01:34PM by IPersonaI https://ift.tt/WRrfY2v via /r/Music

[looybi]

Hommage à Mory Kanté, par Didier Awadi

ICYMI: https://looybi.com/videos/video-hommage-mory-kante-didier-awadi-2020-06-06-07-31-08?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[conakrylemag]

Par le biais d’un décret diffusé lors de la soirée du mercredi 18 octobre 2023 à la télévision nationale, le président de la transition, le Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya, a annoncé la nomination de plusieurs hauts cadres au sein de diverses institutions d’enseignement supérieur et de recherche du pays. Les personnalités nommées sont les suivantes : Institut Supérieur des Arts Mory Kanté de Dubreka…

[essindi]

Salut Matt Sonzala

Je suis François Essindi Abakuya. Je vous contacte par Groover, car je cherche un Booking pour des concerts pour notre projet musical "Tag Ekang Music Experiences...

" Tag Ekang Music Experiences...". Le groove des Seigneurs de la forêt du Cameroun. » Tag Ekang Music Expériences..., le projet musical et le groupe de François Essindi Abakuya Bonjour Salut Matt Sonzala ! Notre projet musical est de promouvoir les musiques, les rythmes et les instruments de la culture Ekang (Sud Cameroun) et de les confronter aux instruments et aux moyens techniques modernes. La direction du projet et du groupe est assurée par François Essindi dit Abakuya. Nous proposons un spectacle qui intègre le conte africain, la danse, la musique electrifiée, l’interaction avec le public dans un seul et même CONCERT. Nous proposons un voyage sans passeport, ni frontières. Vous trouverez en pièce jointe, mon CV et le dossier de presse du projet "Tag Ekang Music Experiences..." De 5 (formation de base) à 7 musiciens (avec invités) Le groupe existe depuis 2017. Relancé en 2020 à la sortie du confinement, il se renouvelle avec une formation efficace, car les membres du quintette sont des musiciens émérites originaires du Cameroun et d’Afrique Centrale. Une basse, une guitare, un piano, une batterie, le tout emmené par un chanteur, conteur, multi-percussionniste …. et à titre optionnel, des invités triés sur le volet. Le quintette Harpes traditionnelles, percussions, chant, lead - François Essindi Piano, claviers - Douglas Mbida Guitare - Paolo Pondi Nyaga Guitare basse - Alain Nyamé Batterie - Léonard Kouatchet dit Léo François Essindi  est un percussionniste, chanteur, joueur de harpes traditionnelles, conteur et luthier autodidacte, spécialiste des instruments de sa région de la forêt  équatoriale du sud Cameroun. Il les confronte depuis longtemps déjà aux techniques et instruments modernes, soucieux d’assurer ainsi leur promotion et leur survie. Il tisse inlassablement des liens entre les cultures, sur la route et sur scène où il lui arrive de jouer la comédie. Léo, batteur, est formé au grand orchestre et enseignant des Conservatoires. Genres : be- bop, musique des Balkans, funk, musique africaine Jacques Mbida (Douglas) est un pianiste né au Cameroun en 52, auteur-compositeur, guitariste, pianiste et claviériste. Onze ans de collaboration à son actif avec le groupe Kassav… Ses genres musicaux : bikutsi, makossa, zouk, rumba, soukouss, afro-funk Alain Nyamé, bassiste, compositeur et arrangeur né à Yaoundé. Pointure de l’afro jazz camerounais. Collaborations avec Lucky Peterson, Mory Kanté, Sally Nyolo, Rido Bayonne et « Les Blancs d’Afrique » Paolo Pondi Nyaga, guitariste albums et tournées, 20 ans de collaboration avec Sally Nyolo. Autres collaborations : Petit pays, Manu Dibango, Ray Lema, Passi, Henri Dikongue, Idrissa Diop, Pablo Master et les Nubians Les artistes invités Violon - Riad Abdelgawad, Mivsam Noiman Percussion, rap - Mc Olangue Chant, danse - Angela Calamissy Danse - Angeline Fahé Angelina Calamissy (Mindjouk mi si) est une artiste camerounaise qui vit aux Pays-Bas. A son actif : un premier album solo, « Ekolon ». Bikutsi, zouk, reggae. MC Olangue, percussionniste et rappeur camerounais est un ancien d’Otoulbaka qui vit en Allemagne. Riad Abdel-Gawad est un violoniste et compositeur né au Caire en 65 (contemporain/ avant-garde et postmoderne/polystyliste) Mivsam Noiman : violoniste, elle enseigne également l’hébreu en utilisant le théâtre, le chant et le jeu comme outils pédagogiques Angeline Fahé, danseuse au bâton, intervient dans les spectacles du projet Tag Ekang depuis que ce projet existe

François Essindi et la Tag Ekang Camerounais et artiste traditionnel du Cameroun, il vit en France où il travaille comme comédien, acteur, conteur, musicien et luthier traditionnel depuis 2003. Formé au théâtre à l’Ensemble National du Cameroun à Yaoundé, il a travaillé avec différentes compagnies théâtrales, au Cameroun et en France. A partir de 2003, il affronte le monde musical en solo, armé des seuls instruments hérités de ses Ancêtres : harpes traditionnelles (Mvet,Ngomo), flûte pygmée, feuilles, arc-en bouche et tambour long, coquille d’escargot, sans oublier le Nkul ou tam-tam d'appel (tambour d’appel). Lorsqu’en 2006, il rencontre le bassiste australien Jimi Sofo, le projet Abakuya prend forme et il se développe jusqu’au départ de Sofo, parti s’installer dans la jungle sud-américaine. En 2007, il rencontre Mad Sheer Khan et en tant que percussionniste, il apporte les sensibilités afro dans la musique de ce rocker alternatif et visionnaire créateur d’un mouvement musical, la Tag Music (Traditionnelle Avant-gardiste Music). Après plusieurs années de concerts et de tournées avec cet artiste, il commence à fabriquer ses propres instruments, inspiré et stimulé par l’expérience partagée avec lui. L’artiste travaille en solo, avec des machines. Il développe son expérience du théâtre et sa connaissance du conte. Il retranscrit plusieurs contes traditionnels de sa région, qui sont publiés par L’Harmattan en édition bilingue français/bulu. En 2016, Oscar Castro l’invite sur les planches du Théâtre Aleph à Ivry sur Seine, où il vit aujourd’hui. En 2019, L’illustre africain Manu Dibango, icône mondiale de la musique et de la culture, fait de lui son musicien joueur de Nkul au sein du Soul Makossa Gang. Il participe à la tournée Safari Symphonique, interrompue en raison du décès du grand artiste, survenu en 2020. François Essindi Abakuya perd presque simultanément Oscar Castro. Dès la fin du confinement, l’artiste Ekang se lance à la recherche de musiciens pour l’aider à porter cette culture grâce à laquelle il croit avoir survécu : la culture Ekang… Le groupe se reconstitue et la TG Ekang reprend du service. Nous avons commencé une série de concerts en région parisienne en mars 2023. Nous sommes disponibles pour tout renseignement complémentaire, rendez-vous, audition ou show case. Pour voir à quoi ressemblait celui du 20 mai dernier au Théâtre Aleph à Ivry sur seine, suivez ces liens s’il vous  plaît : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qprqU-M-kYk et https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bveXUe6y-OI Médiation culturelle Francine Asfodela contact@asfodela.com CONTACT GENERAL Mail : abakuya@gmail.com

François Essindi Abakuya 

Tél/whatsapp: +33604116912 

Site officiel : www.abakuya.net

Chaîne youtube : https://www.youtube.com/@essindiabakuya9488 et     www.youtube.com/abakuya Association AKIBA 56 bis rue des Maraîchers 75020 Paris François Essindi membre fondateur de l’Association Akiba membre du Collectif Musiques et Danses du Monde en Ile de France membre de l’AEBF ( Association Entraide des Beti de France ) soutenu par Savoir-Faire Ekang, Radio Arts Mada, le Théâtre Aleph, le studio Tremplin à Ivry sur Seine, le label Isaac et Jade & Afrisson

Musiques Traditionnelles  - Musiques du Monde - Musiques actuelles - Folk - Fusion/Afro

[lamilanomagazine]

"Oro e diamanti (mane e mane 2.0)" il nuovo singolo di Neves17 ft. Enzo Avitabile e Geolier

"Oro e diamanti (mane e mane 2.0)" il nuovo singolo di Neves17 ft. Enzo Avitabile e Geolier. Esce mercoledì 31 maggio su tutte le piattaforme digitali “ORO E DIAMANTI (MANE E MANE 2.0)”, il nuovo singolo di NEVES17 in collaborazione con il pluripremiato maestro ENZO AVITABILE insieme a uno fra i rapper più in vista di tutto il panorama urban italiano, GEOLIER. Come suggerisce il titolo, “ORO E DIAMANTI (MANE E MANE 2.0)” nasce da un’idea di Neves17 e Geolier e si ispira al brano “Mane e Mane” del 1999 firmato dal grande compositore, cantautore e sassofonista partenopeo Enzo Avitabile e dal musicista guineano Mory Kanté. Il brano originale, nato con un’iniziativa UNICEF per la scolarizzazione delle bambine del Benin, prende nuova vita, come raccontano i tre protagonisti annunciando l’uscita di “ORO E DIAMANTI” in un post su Instagram e spiegando con le loro stesse parole questa speciale collaborazione. NEVES17 si esprime così: “’Mane e Mane’ di Enzo Avitabile è stata per me una fonte di ispirazione, di riflessione personale. Da tempo, anche se giovane, mi sono riscoperto una specie di ricercatore del mio sé, della mia guida interiore, come dicono i mastri spirituali. ‘Oro e diamanti’ è un cammino verso la luce, autenticità, la trasparenza. Tra il bene e il male scelgo il vero, un sole di notte, una stella di giorno. La mia Africa, come dice Enzo, è neve del deserto e sabbia del Vesuvio. Chi non ha sofferto non ha coraggio, chi non ha provato dolore non conosce la rabbia, chi non cerca la luce non ha speranza, chi non conosce la solitudine non conosce se stesso”. Enzo Avitabile, creatore insieme a Kantè del singolo originale "Mano Mano" dice “Questo nuovo progetto è dedicato all’inclusione, all’aggregazione, all’accoglienza, ed è una sorta di raduno multigenerazionale, multietnico, multiespressivo, multiculturale. Uno sguardo speciale alle nuove generazioni, ai linguaggi del mondo nel . Il ricco patrimonio della musica urbana si miscela con tutte le sue espressioni più indicative; il ritmo, il beat, il groove, il testo, la danza, i live, i social, il passato con gli occhi del futuro e il futuro che attinge dal passato”. Infine Geolier: “’Mane e mane’ di Enzo Avitabile è per me un brano senza tempo. Con ‘Oro e diamanti’ ho voluto raccontare una verità personale. Il carattere della strada di una città che si perde negli sguardi della gente che sanno di sfide quotidiane, dove il tempo va e viene. La strada di una città come Napoli che ti dà l’opportunità di vivere il proprio tempo costruendo passo dopo passo, sbaglio dopo sbaglio e successo dopo successo il primo carattere, una propria identità. Per affrontare le strade di questa vita abbiamo bisogno di nutrirci di quella luce che per noi, oggi più di ieri, ha l’odore di speranza, per poterci sentire immortali con la nostra musica e rimanere nel tempo attraverso una musica senza tempo. Nel tempo e senza tempo, per sempre”. Il brano originale di Enzo Avitabile è stato per Neves17 e Geolier un viaggio alla ricerca della propria luce, una luce che ognuno di noi sente il bisogno di cercare lungo il cammino della propria vita, luce come sinonimo di speranza. Sulla produzione di Poison Beatz, “ORO E DIAMANTI (MANE E MANE 2.0)” è anche un viaggio alla ricerca di una sperimentazione musicale che fonde passato e futuro, con la speranza di vivere un luminoso presente.... #notizie #news #breakingnews #cronaca #politica #eventi #sport #moda Read the full article

[loadsofplaces]

Guinea

General Information Guinea is a country in Western Africa. It has been inhabited for about 30.000 years. From the mid 13the century, Upper Guinea was incorporated into the Mali empire. Between the start of Portuguese influence in the 15th century until the mid 19th century, the coasts of Guinea were involved in the transatlantic slave trade. Between 1891 and independence in 1958, Guinea was a French colony. The major ethnic groups in Guinea are Fulani, Malinke and Susu. Almost 90% of the 13.6 Million Guineans are Muslim, others mostly Christian/Roman Catholic. The official language is French, the capital is Conakry.

Music of Guinea Music is of high importance in Guinea. Styles differ by region, but Guinean music in general tends to heavily use percussion and string instruments. Globally, the most famous Guinean song is “Yé Ké Yé Ké” by Mory Kanté which became a worldwide hit in 1987 and was the first African single to reach a million sales.

~ Anastasia

Economy The economy of Guinea is dependent largely on agriculture and other rural activities. Guinea is richly endowed with good minerals, possessing an estimated quarter of the world's proven reserves of bauxite, more than 1.8 billion tonnes (2.0 billion short tons) of high-grade iron ore, significant diamond and gold deposits, and undetermined quantities of uranium.

~ Damian

Sources: https://www.britannica.com/place/Guinea https://www.factsinstitute.com/countries/facts-about-guinea/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Guinea

[hits1000]

Top Songs of 1988 - Hits of 1988

Top Songs of 1988 - Hits of 1988 Top Songs of 1988 including: Aerosmith – Angel, Bad Boys Blue - A World Without You (Michelle), Bananarama - I Want You Back, Billy Ocean - Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car, Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy, Bon Jovi - Bad Medicine, Bros - When Will I Be Famous?, Cher - I Found Someone and many more! Subscribe to our channel to see more of our content! 1. Aerosmith - Angel 2. Bad Boys Blue - A World Without You (Michelle) 3. Bananarama - I Want You Back 4. Billy Ocean - Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car 5. Bobby McFerrin - Don't Worry Be Happy 6. Bon Jovi - Bad Medicine 7. Bros - When Will I Be Famous? 8. C. C. Catch - House Of Mystic Lights 9. Cazuza - Faz Parte do Meu Show 10. Céline Dion - Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi 11. Cher - I Found Someone 12. Deacon Blue - Real Gone Kid 13. Début de Soiree - Nuit de Folie 14. Def Leppard - Love Bites 15. Duran Duran - I Don't Want Your Love 16. Eddy Grant - Gimme Hope Jo'Anna 17. Eighth Wonder - Cross My Heart 18. Elsa & Glenn Medeiros - Un Roman d'Amitié 19. Elton John - I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That 20. Enya - Orinoco Flow 21. Eros Ramazzotti - Solo con te 22. Fairground Attraction - Perfect 23. Falco - Wiener Blut 24. Fat Boys & Chubby Checker - The Twist 25. George Michael - Father Figure 26. George Michael - One More Try 27. Glenn Medeiros - Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You 28. Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine 29. Herbert Grönemeyer - Was Soll Das 30. INXS - New Sensation 31. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - I Hate Myself for Loving You 32. Kim Wilde - You Came 33. Koreana - Hand in Hand 34. Kylie Minogue - Locomotion 35. Kylie Minogue - Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi (I Still Love You) 36. La Guardia - El Mundo Tras El Cristal 37. La Unión - Más y Más 38. Los Rebeldes - Mediterráneo 39. Luca Barbarossa - L'amore rubato 40. Matt Bianco - Don't Blame It On That Girl 41. Michael Jackson - Dirty Diana 42. Michael Jackson - Man In The Mirror 43. Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal 44. Milli Vanilli - Girl You Know It's True 45. Mory Kanté - Yeke Yeke 46. Münchener Freiheit - Bis wir uns wiedersehen 47. Mylène Farmer - Pourvu Qu'Elles Soient Douces 48. New Kids On The Block - You Got It (The Right Stuff) 49. Ofra Haza - Im Nin' Alu 50. Pat & Mick - Let's All Chant 51. Pet Shop Boys - Domino Dancing 52. Peter Schilling - The Different Story 53. Phil Collins - A Groovy Kind Of Love 54. Phil Collins - Two Hearts 55. Prefab Sprout - Cars and Girls 56. Rainhard Fendrich - Macho Macho 57. Rick Astley - It Would Take a Strong Strong Man 58. Rick Astley - She Wants To Dance With Me 59. Rick Astley - Take Me to Your Heart 60. Rick Astley - Together Forever 61. Robert Palmer - Simply Irresistible 62. Robin Beck - The Very First Time 63. Roxette - Listen To Your Heart 64. Sabrina - All of Me (Boy Oh Boy) 65. Salt-N-Pepa - Push It 66. Sam Brown - Stop 67. Sting - Fragile 68. Terence Trent D'Arby - Sign Your Name 69. The Beach Boys - Kokomo 70. The Primitives - Crash 71. The Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) 72. Tino Casal - Eloise 73. Tracy Chapman - Baby Can I Hold You 74. Tracy Chapman - Fast Car 75. Tracy Chapman - Talkin' About A Revolution 76. U2 - Desire 77. Van Halen - When It's Love 78. Whitney Houston - One Moment In Time 79. Yahoo - Mordida de Amor 80. Yazz - The Only Way Is Up Related Searches: Greatest Hits of 1988, Best Jukebox 1988 Playlist, Late 1988 Non Stop , Top 1988 Non Stop, Mix 1988 Compilation, Best 1988 List, Late 1988 UK, Best 1988 Playlist, Best 1988 Non Stop, Best 1988 Video, Greatest 1988 Non Stop, Mix 1988 Playlist, Best Jukebox 1988 List, List of 1988 Mix, Top 1988 USA, Best Songs of 1988, Top Music 1988, Hits of 1988 Relate Hashtags: #songsof1988 #hits1988 #songs1988 #listof1988mix #hits1988 #bestsongs1988 #classic1988playlist #greatest1988nonstop #best1988list #best1988video #top1988mix #greatest1988video #mix1988playlist #top1988nonstop #mix1988compilation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyxks67i0eM

[jalan-jalan]

【浦田博信の古今東西音楽ウラ話】

YES-fm 78.1MHz・毎週木曜22時〜23時（日曜19時再放送）

秒殺の作曲家浦田博信です。✌️

今週のプレイリストを公開します。

2022年12月29日のプレイリスト

M1：Yeke Yeke / Mory Kanté

M2：Miyoko / Youssou N'dour

M3：アキラのさらばシベリア鉄道 / 小林旭

M4：Polska till Rut / Kraja

M5：My Back Pages / America

M6：歡聚歌 / 新寶島康樂隊 & 鄭愛枝

M7：Cruel Angel's Thesis (From "Neon Genesis Evangelion") / AmaLee

M8：Eleanor Rigby / Sarah Vaughan

M9：Purple Rain / Dwight Yoakam

M10：Tuak Adalah Nyawa / Masekepung

M11：The Hill of Yearning / April 2nd

M12：からたちの小径 / 島倉千代子

M13：Looks Like December / Antônio Carlos Jobim

ついに最終回となった今夜は、これまでの放送回の中からセレクトし抜いた究極のプレイリスト、「The Best Of 古今東西音楽ウラ話」をお送りしました。

どれを聴いても味わい深く心に響く曲ばかり。

お楽しみいただけたなら幸せの極みです。

それではみなさん、長い間ありがとうございます。

またいつかどこかでお耳にかかりましょう。

#秒殺の作曲家

#浦田博信の古今東西音楽ウラ話

#最終回

#yesfm

#木曜夜10時

#日曜夜7時再放送

#ニッチな選曲

#深イイ選曲

#ちょっとマニアックな選曲

#ワイドな振れ幅

#ミナミのラジオ

#聴いてね

[justforbooks]

Mory Kanté obituary

Singer and songwriter whose 1980s hit Yéké Yéké was Africa’s first million-selling single

Mory Kanté, who has died aged 70 from untreated health problems, was a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and one of west Africa’s most versatile and commercially successful musical pioneers.

A national hero in Guinea, Kanté came from a jali or griot family of hereditary musicians and historians, and became known as the “electric griot” for his fusion of contemporary styles with traditional west African influences. His best known song, Yéké Yéké, was recorded in 1987 and became the first African single to sell over a million copies - as well as being the first international dance floor hit to feature the kora, the ancient west African harp.

Kanté played an amplified version of the instrument, which was matched against a stomping bass line, brass, drums, and a female chorus joining in with his distinctive, high-pitched vocals for the exuberant and catchy hook line. Yéké Yéké was No 1 in the pop charts in Spain and the Netherlands, and a Top 5 hit in Germany, Switzerland and France. It made three entries in the UK charts, reaching the Top 30 in 1988 and 1995 and then again, as a remix version, in 1996. The remix appeared on the soundtrack of the Danny Boyle film The Beach (2000).

Yéké Yéké made Kanté an international celebrity, just as African music was gaining new audiences in the west thanks to the growing interest in world music. But he was already well known across west Africa as lead singer with one of the region’s finest groups, the Rail Band. And as Lucy Duran, professor of music at SOAS, University of London, put it: “He was steeped in tradition.”

He was always destined to be a musician. Born in Albadarya, south-eastern Guinea, he was one of the youngest of 38 children. His father, El Hadj Djelifodé Kanté, was a local griot leader, while his mother, Fatoumata Kamissoko, was from a distinguished Malian griot family. Mory was taught to play the balafon, the African xylophone, attended a local French school and at 15 was sent to Bamako, the Malian capital, to live with his aunt, Manamba Kamissoko, a singer and griot. Here he continued his griot education while also listening to western and Cuban music and working as balafonist, guitarist and singer for the Apollos, a band much in demand at wedding festivals.

His musical skills came to the notice of one of Bamako’s most popular and adventurous groups, the Rail Band, who were employed by the National Railways of Mali to play at the Buffet Hotel De La Gare, next to Bamako railway station, where they performed anything from Cuban-influenced songs and French pop to ancient griot songs arranged for modern instruments. Salif Keita was their star vocalist, and Kanté was hired to play the balafon and guitar – though he also taught himself to play the kora and would occasionally take the microphone to remind audiences that Salif was not the only great vocalist on stage.

In 1973, Keita quit to join a rival band, Les Ambassadeurs, and Kanté took over as lead singer. The Rail Band became celebrities across west Africa, touring in Nigeria and the Ivory Coast while expanding their musical range to include funk and Afrobeat, and recording classic songs that ranged from Soundiata, a tribute to the founder of the Mandingo empire and Sinsimba, a tribute to Fela Kuti.

After leaving the Rail Band (who had been on strike demanding their salaries as state employees), Kanté moved to Abidjan, capital of the Ivory Coast, where he found that “people were crazy for modern music on traditional instruments”. He started a small band in which he sang and played kora, backed by other traditional instruments including balafon and djembe hand drums as he reworked salsa and western dance songs.

He had a residency at a fashionable city restaurant, where he was heard by Gerard Chess, director of the American label Eboni that specialised in disco and funk. His first solo album Courougnegne was released in 1981 and mixed in Los Angeles, where he had a “dream” meeting with Stevie Wonder.

Kanté wanted international success, and in 1984 he moved to Paris, where he eventually achieved his goal. His album À Paris (1984) included an early version of Yéké Yéké, and the next, 10 Cola Nuts (1986), was co-produced by Bruce Springsteen’s original keyboard player David Sancious and was nominated for the French Victoires De la Musique award, but it was not until Akwaba Beach (1987) that he became a major star. This was the best-selling album that included the hit version of Yéké Yéké, and its success was followed by high-profile events including a concert attended by tens of thousands in Central Park, New York, on French Bastille Day, 14 July 1990.

Always smartly dressed in white, Kanté became an African crossover celebrity with the status of a rock star – though his high-energy shows often included a traditional song as a reminder of his griot roots. And having discovered a winning formula he stuck with it. His 1990 album Touma achieved gold status in France, and was followed by Nongo Village (1993), Tatebola (1996) and Tamala (Le Voyageur) (2001) which included Nin Kadi, an easy-going collaboration with the English R&B singer Shola Ama.

In 2004 Kanté dramatically changed direction with Sabou, an all-acoustic album that included no keyboards or electro-percussion but provided an impressive reminder of his instrumental skills, not just on kora but on balafon, acoustic guitar and percussion. His soaring vocals and sense of urgency made this a classic set – and it would be his last for eight years.

He had homes in both Paris and in the Guinean capital, Conakry, where he had plans for an ambitious cultural institute and had already built a studio where he recorded part of his final album La Guinéenne.

In 2019 he was “guest vocalist” on an album by Las Maravillas de Mali, celebrating the music of a Cuban-influenced Malian band from the early 1970s, and appeared at a concert with this new version of the group at the London Barbican. He was still in excellent voice – and was of course wearing white.

He is survived by his wife, Sira Kouyate, and their seven children, Kebe, Tenin, Kader, Fatim, Zeynab and Marian (twins), and Mohammed, and by children from an earlier marriage.

• Mory Kanté, musician, singer and songwriter, born 29 March 1950; died 22 May 2020

© 2020 Guardian News

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