19/04/2008

Sali Sidibé - From Timbuktu to Gao (1993)

«Sali Sidibé is another exponent of wassoulou style of music, predominantly performed by female singers from the South of Mali. In the footsteps of the pioneers Kagbe Sidibé and Coumba Sidibé, Sali became one of the most popular Wassoulou singers in Mali.

Her music is somewhat different from that of Oumou Sangaré, but more similar to the style of Nahawa Doumbia since she is using the same didadi rhythm.
Unlike the malinké praise singers, these young artists addressed contemporary issues in their lyrics, such as social problems. Although the singers are mainly Peul they are singing in the wassoulou dialect of the bambara language.
The pentatonic wassoulou music itself is very distinct from malinke music and is reminiscent of the rhythms of Malian hunter music played with the Dozon N'Goni (hunter's lute), but using instead the smaller Kamelen N'Goni (6-string youth lute). Other instruments used are the traditional one-string violon, the soukou, the M'Bolon (bass lute), senoufo balafon, djembé and and also the electric guitar. The rhythms are repetitive and hypnotising, but there is room for improvisation on the string instruments.
Although her family was opposed to a musical career (her father being a marabout), Sali started singing in the Ensemble Instrumental National du Mali in the early 1980s. In 1987, she formed her own ensemble, and her first cassette Tounkan Magni was a big hit in Mali, before anyone had heard of Oumou Sangaré. Few recordings of her are internationally distributed, but a few tracks of Wassoulou Foli can be found on the two Wassoulou Sound samplers released by
Stern's Music [reviewed hereFrom Timbuktu to Gao is the reissue of N’Daya International ]» (Frank Bessem’s Musiques d’Afrique)

Link in comments

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

grazie, radu!

never heard of this artist, nor the style. bumkuncha just posted another mali legend boubacar traoré.

salute!

DJ Radu said...

hi, lucky,

thanx for the info. Boubacar Traore is a true legend, I'm going to post him too. Stay tuned!

Ciao!

Anonymous said...

right know i'm preparing a birthday present for my sister - traoré and sidibé on a burned cd! when the weather is as cold, windy and rainy as it is the case here in germany right now, one has to get some warmth from inside - music, for example!

i stay tuned.

salam, lucky

p.s.: and if you like some morroccan gnawa music - stay tuned for more at my place. ;)

Anonymous said...

Grazie anche da parte mia! Qui musica sempre ottima... Ciao!

DJ Radu said...

Sorry, I've accidentally erased the link (you know, Monday mornings...). I'll give you a new link in a few moments.

DJ Radu said...

New Link:

http://sharebee.com/c99d676b

Anonymous said...

Hi Radu,would be possible to have the musicians staff of this band?
Please.