Marietou diabate salif keita biography

African singer-songwriter from Mali (born )

For other people named Salif Keita, see Salif Keita (disambiguation).

Musical artist

Salif Keïta (IPA:[salifkeita]) (born 25 August )^[1] assignment a Malian singer-songwriter, referred give somebody no option but to as the "Golden Voice attention to detail Africa".

He is a participant of the Keita royal next of kin of Mali.

Biography

Early life

Salif Keita was born a traditional empress in the village of Djoliba.^[2] He was born to ethics Keita royal family, who survival their lineage to Sundiata Keita, founder of the Mali Empire.^[1] He was cast out building block his family and ostracized through the community because of potentate albinism, a sign of inexpensive luck in Mandinka culture.^[3] Loosen up decided to pursue music mend his teenage years, further distancing him from his family bit that was against occupational prohibitions of his noble status.^[4]

In , he left Djoliba for Bamako, where he joined the government-sponsored Super Rail Band de Bamako.^[1] In , Keita joined class group Les Ambassadeurs (du Motor hotel de Bamako).^[1] Keita and Bind Ambassadeurs fled political unrest assume Mali during the mids opinion subsequently changed the group's designation to Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux.^[1] Honourableness reputation of this band grew internationally in the lates,^[1] relevant to Keita pursuing a by oneself career in the following period.

He is the father slate ParalympianathleteNantenin Keita.^[5]

Career

Due to political frenzy, Keita and his band-mates muted Mali in the mids. They settled in Abidjan, Ivory Sea-coast, where they struggled financially subject often had to rent capital to perform shows. The belt (now named Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux) steadily grew in popularity anxiety the ensuing years.^[1] Their tome, Mandjou, became an overnight come next in West Africa.^[6]

In , Sékou Touré, the President of Poultry, made Keita an Officer censure Guinea's National Order of Merit.^[1] The President had been expert fan of Keita and ethics band's since they met whet an official visit in Touré had remained a fan endure supporter even after they frigid Mali.

Wanting to reciprocate righteousness honour, Keita composed the path "Mandjou" (featured on the eponymic album) as a praise sticky tag for Touré.^[1] However, by authority time the song was unconfined, Touré had completely resorted cause to feel authoritarian rule and plunged government country into bloodshed and daze.

Keita still performs rearranged versions of "Mandjou".^[6]

Keita moved to Town in to reach a improved audience and to pursue precise solo career.^[1] His music concerted traditional West African music styles with influences from both Assemblage and the Americas.^[1]

At that while, Keita was famous in Continent and had a strong admirer base among connoisseurs around picture world.

Soro became his international-breakthrough album in ^[1] The operation was produced by Ibrahima Sylla, a visionary who had before now discovered dozens of African stars (and would later become representation driving force behind Africando). Birth arrangements featured roiling rhythms, on a small scale nasal female backup choirs, add-on traditional percussion typical of African music.^[7]

Musical instruments that are for the most part featured in Keita's work involve balafons, djembes, guitars, koras, meat, saxophones, and synthesizers.

He total at the Nelson Mandela Lxx Birthday Tribute concert in hurt call for Nelson Mandela's loosen from prison. In , Keita contributed "Begin the Beguine" bear out the Cole Porter tribute/AIDS profit album Red Hot + Blue, produced by the Red Piping hot Organization.

Keita found success play a part Europe as one of goodness African stars of world sonata, but his work was every now criticised for the gloss work for its production and for high-mindedness occasional haphazard quality.^{[citation needed]} Nonetheless, shortly after the turn warrant the millennium he returned command somebody to Bamako in Mali to be real and record.

His first snitch after going home, 's Moffou, was hailed as his worst album in many years,^[8] explode Keita was inspired to assemble a recording studio in Bamako, which he used for tiara album M'Bemba, released in Oct

Guest artists on his albums have included Weather Report founders Joe Zawinul and Wayne Smaller erior, drummer Paco Sery, guitarist Carlos Santana, and percussionist Bill Summers.

Keita's album La Différence was produced around the end interrupt The work is dedicated cause somebody to the struggle of the imitation albino community (victims of human being sacrifice), for which Keita has been crusading all his come alive. In one of the album's tracks, the singer calls excess to understand that "difference" does not mean "bad" and make ill show love and compassion in the direction of albinos like everyone else: "I am black/ my skin task white/ so I am pallid and my blood is jetblack [albino]/I love that because engage is a difference that's beautiful", "some of us are elegant some are not/some are grimy some are white/all that variance was on purposefor us stop complete each other/let everyone drive his love and dignity/the earth will be beautiful."

La Différence was recorded between Bamako, Beirut, Paris, and Los Angeles.

That unique musical feel is husky by soulful pitches in integrity track "Samigna" emanating from glory trumpet of the great Asiatic jazzman Ibrahim Maalouf.

In , Keita's song "Tomorrow" was featured in the Will Smith integument, Ali.

La Différence won Keita one of the biggest lilting awards of his career: righteousness Best World Music at greatness Victoires de la musique.

In , after what he declared as "threats" from the Blacklist, Divestment and Sanctions campaign, loosen up cancelled a performance in Land. He later published a symbol on his Facebook page, stating that he decided to invalidate the event because he was scared of "being harmed yourself or professionally", but clarified guarantee he still "love[d] Israel", slamming BDS as an "extremist group" who used "scare tactics esoteric bullying".^[9]

In November , he declared his retirement from recording hatred a concert in Fana, Mali.

The album Un Autre Blanc, which was released at honourableness concert, would be his last.^[10] For his farewell recording pacify invited a rich cast invite African singers to help him on one of his songs called “Gnamale.” At the during of the album he thanked God for blessing him title warning people who would exploitation his name.^[11]

He uses Traditional Someone instruments such as the djembe, kora and balafon are thoroughly prevalent in his sounded.

Settle down has also been able accede to sing to non-traditional instrumentalization. Unquestionable has over 15 albums good turn Keita counts Un Autre Blanc as his swan song.^[12]

He was to act as legislative entity from till his resignation attack 31 July ^[13]

In August , Salif Keïta was appointed cicerone to the head of probity junta by Colonel Assimi Goïta.^[14]

Albinism

Born as a descendant of righteousness Mali Empire, Keïta was local albino.

He faced significant challenges in his native land disregard Mali, particularly among the Mandinka people, where his condition was regarded as an illness. Insult being part of a extraction of musicians and a combatant princess, he was prohibited let alone pursuing music, resulting in realm disownment by his father point of view expulsion from school.

Seeking approving, he relocated to Ivory Sea-coast in his youth, where pacify focused on his passion supplement music. He ultimately became secrecy as a cultural icon. Focal , he returned to Mali after achieving fame.^[15]

Selected discography

As prime artist

• Seydou Bathili ()

• Soro (Mango, )
• Ko-Yan (Mango, )
• Amen (Mango, )
• Destiny of a Noble Outcast (PolyGram, )
• 69–80 (Sonodisc, )
• Folon (Mango, )
• Seydou Bathili (Sonodisc, )
• Papa (Metro Blue, )
• Mama (Capitol, )
• Sosie (Mellemfolkeligt, )
• Moffou (Universal Jazz France, )
• Remixes punishment Moffou (Universal Jazz Writer, )
• M'Bemba (Universal Jazz Author, )
• The Lost Album (Cantos, ) – reissued
• La Différence (Emarcy, )
• Talé (Emarcy, )
• Un Autre Blanc (Naïve, )

Many compilations untidy heap available as well,including:^[16]

• The Mansa hegemony Malia Retrospective –
• Palisade Band – – Melodie
• The Best of Salif Keita – – Wrasse Records
• Salif Keita: The Best forfeit the Early Years – – Wrasse Records

• Ambassadeur International, Mandjou (Amons, )

Singles

Music videos

^[17]

References

Further reading

External links