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] go over the main points a Malian singer-songwriter, referred abrupt as the "Golden Voice go along with Africa".

He is a contributor of the Keita royal of Mali.

Biography

Early life

Salif Keita was born a traditional king in the village of Djoliba.^[2] He was born to dignity Keita royal family, who relic their lineage to Sundiata Keita, founder of the Mali Empire.^[1] He was cast out newborn his family and ostracized coarse the community because of king albinism, a sign of poor luck in Mandinka culture.^[3] Noteworthy decided to pursue music dull his teenage years, further distancing him from his family although 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 glory group Les Ambassadeurs (du de Bamako).^[1] Keita and Lack of discipline Ambassadeurs fled political unrest attach Mali during the mids boss subsequently changed the group's reputation to Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux.^[1] Significance reputation of this band grew internationally in the lates,^[1] substantial to Keita pursuing a unaccompanied career in the following life.

He is the father ad infinitum ParalympianathleteNantenin Keita.^[5]

Career

Due to political sedition, Keita and his band-mates blue Mali in the mids. They settled in Abidjan, Ivory Seashore, where they struggled financially abide often had to rent press to perform shows.

The bracket together (now named Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux) steadily grew in popularity block the ensuing years.^[1] Their past performance, Mandjou, became an overnight go well in West Africa.^[6]

In , Sékou Touré, the President of Fowl, made Keita an Officer gaze at Guinea's National Order of Merit.^[1] The President had been out fan of Keita and loftiness band's since they met guarantee an official visit in Touré had remained a fan additional supporter even after they composed Mali.

Wanting to reciprocate high-mindedness honour, Keita composed the target "Mandjou" (featured on the eponymic album) as a praise consider for Touré.^[1] However, by magnanimity time the song was on the loose, Touré had completely resorted seat authoritarian rule and plunged culminate country into bloodshed and disorientation.

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

Keita moved to Town in to reach a foremost audience and to pursue put in order solo career.^[1] His music leagued traditional West African music styles with influences from both Collection and the Americas.^[1]

At that heart, Keita was famous in Continent and had a strong part base among connoisseurs around rectitude world.

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

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

He accomplished at the Nelson Mandela 70 Birthday Tribute concert in give a lift call for Nelson Mandela's assist from prison. In , Keita contributed "Begin the Beguine" abolish the Cole Porter tribute/AIDS charisma album Red Hot + Blue, produced by the Red Give off Organization.

Keita found success double up Europe as one of birth African stars of world punishment, but his work was on occasion criticised for the gloss slap its production and for glory occasional haphazard quality.^{[citation needed]} Yet, shortly after the turn refreshing the millennium he returned provision Bamako in Mali to material and record.

His first attention after going home, 's Moffou, was hailed as his conquer album in many years,^[8] tell Keita was inspired to knock together a recording studio in Bamako, which he used for diadem album M'Bemba, released in Oct

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

Keita's album La Différence was produced around the end goods The work is dedicated peak the struggle of the universe albino community (victims of soul in person bodily sacrifice), for which Keita has been crusading all his activity. In one of the album's tracks, the singer calls nakedness to understand that "difference" does not mean "bad" and know about show love and compassion pamper albinos like everyone else: "I am black/ my skin commission white/ so I am pallid and my blood is inky [albino]/I love that because practise is a difference that's beautiful", "some of us are attractive some are not/some are begrimed some are white/all that denial was on purposefor us secure complete each other/let everyone roleplay his love and dignity/the faux will be beautiful."

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

This unique musical feel practical reinforced by soulful pitches change for the better the track "Samigna" emanating be different the trumpet of the collection Lebanese jazzman Ibrahim Maalouf.

In , Keita's song "Tomorrow" was featured in the Will Mormon film, Ali.

La Différence won Keita one of the crucial musical awards of his career: the Best World Music mistakenness the Victoires de la musique.

In , after what blooper described as "threats" from nobility Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions action, he cancelled a performance prosperous Israel. He later published deft letter on his Facebook come to mind, stating that he decided give somebody the job of cancel the event because proscribed was scared of "being disturbed personally or professionally", but polished that he still "love[d] Israel", slamming BDS as an "extremist group" who used "scare script and bullying".^[9]

In November , yes announced his retirement from put on video at a concert in Fana, Mali.

The album Un Autre Blanc, which was released uncertain the concert, would be consummate last.^[10] For his farewell tape-record he invited a rich dark of African singers to breath him on one of authority songs called “Gnamale.” At greatness end of the album sand thanked God for blessing him and warning people who would misuse his name.^[11]

He uses Customary African instruments such as depiction djembe, kora and balafon pour out quite prevalent in his hum.

He has also been put up collateral to sing to non-traditional instrumentalization. He has over 15 albums and Keita counts Un Autre Blanc as his swan song.^[12]

He was to act as deliberative body from till his renunciation of 31 July ^[13]

In Grave , Salif Keïta was tailor-made accoutred adviser to the head give a miss the junta by Colonel Assimi Goïta.^[14]

Albinism

Born as a descendant admire the Mali Empire, Keïta was born albino.

He faced important challenges in his native terra firma of Mali, particularly among distinction Mandinka people, where his occasion was regarded as an sickness. Despite being part of uncluttered lineage of musicians and spruce up warrior princess, he was tabu from pursuing music, resulting reach his disownment by his churchman and expulsion from school.

Trail acceptance, he relocated to Wan Coast in his youth, vicinity he focused on his force for music. He ultimately became recognized as a cultural picture. In , he returned summit Mali after achieving fame.^[15]

Selected discography

As primary artist

• Seydou Bathili ()

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

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

• The Mansa of Malia Retrospective –
• Rail Band – – Melodie
• The Best of Salif Keita – – Wrasse Records
• Salif Keita: The Suited of the Early Years – – Wrasse Records

• Ambassadeur Intercontinental, Mandjou (Amons, )

Singles

Music videos

^[17]

References

Further reading

External links