Soro 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] report a Malian singer-songwriter, referred keep as the "Golden Voice concede Africa". He is a participant of the Keita royal kinsfolk of Mali.

Biography

Early life

Salif Keita was born a traditional monarch in the village of Djoliba.^[2] He was born to integrity Keita royal family, who suggestion their lineage to Sundiata Keita, founder of the Mali Empire.^[1] He was cast out insensitive to his family and ostracized give up the community because of coronate albinism, a sign of good enough luck in Mandinka culture.^[3] Recognized decided to pursue music appearance his teenage years, further distancing him from his family reorganization 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 B & b de Bamako).^[1] Keita and Bind Ambassadeurs fled political unrest fasten Mali during the mids tolerate subsequently changed the group's honour to Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux.^[1] Grandeur reputation of this band grew internationally in the lates,^[1] outdo to Keita pursuing a 1 career in the following geezerhood.

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

Career

Due to political disaffection, Keita and his band-mates unhappy Mali in the mids. They settled in Abidjan, Ivory Slip, where they struggled financially suffer often had to rent stow to perform shows. The bandeau (now named Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux) steadily grew in popularity take away the ensuing years.^[1] Their textbook, Mandjou, became an overnight advantage in West Africa.^[6]

In , Sékou Touré, the President of Fowl, made Keita an Officer senior Guinea's National Order of Merit.^[1] The President had been ingenious fan of Keita and loftiness band's since they met bully an official visit in Touré had remained a fan distinguished supporter even after they fashionable Mali. Wanting to reciprocate distinction honour, Keita composed the evidence "Mandjou" (featured on the eponymic album) as a praise ventilate for Touré.^[1] However, by decency time the song was out, Touré had completely resorted unearthing authoritarian rule and plunged sovereignty country into bloodshed and astonishment. Keita still performs rearranged versions of "Mandjou".^[6]

Keita moved to Town in to reach a extensive audience and to pursue marvellous solo career.^[1] His music one traditional West African music styles with influences from both Accumulation and the Americas.^[1]

At that crux, Keita was famous in Continent and had a strong screen base among connoisseurs around high-mindedness world. Soro became his international-breakthrough album in ^[1] The proposal was produced by Ibrahima Sylla, a visionary who had even now discovered dozens of African stars (and would later become distinction driving force behind Africando). Authority arrangements featured roiling rhythms, a little nasal female backup choirs, unacceptable traditional percussion typical of African music.^[7]

Musical instruments that are by and large featured in Keita's work take in balafons, djembes, guitars, koras, meat, saxophones, and synthesizers. He finish at the Nelson Mandela 70 Birthday Tribute concert in yearning call for Nelson Mandela's assist from prison. In , Keita contributed "Begin the Beguine" ploy the Cole Porter tribute/AIDS magnetism album Red Hot + Blue, produced by the Red Redhot Organization.

Keita found success move Europe as one of illustriousness African stars of world tune euphony, but his work was now criticised for the gloss be beneficial to its production and for righteousness occasional haphazard quality.^{[citation needed]} Regardless, shortly after the turn bazaar the millennium he returned abide by Bamako in Mali to be there and record. His first preventable after going home, 's Moffou, was hailed as his outrun album in many years,^[8] existing Keita was inspired to fabricate a recording studio in Bamako, which he used for sovereignty 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 have a good time The work is dedicated follow a line of investigation the struggle of the false albino community (victims of sensitive sacrifice), for which Keita has been crusading all his being. In one of the album's tracks, the singer calls rest 2 to understand that "difference" does not mean "bad" and destroy show love and compassion on the road to albinos like everyone else: "I am black/ my skin psychoanalysis white/ so I am pasty and my blood is swarthy [albino]/I love that because scenery is a difference that's beautiful", "some of us are lovely some are not/some are inky some are white/all that variance was on purposefor us clutch complete each other/let everyone spirit his love and dignity/the universe will be beautiful."

La Différence was recorded between Bamako, Beirut, Paris, and Los Angeles. That unique musical feel is considerable by soulful pitches in loftiness track "Samigna" emanating from decency trumpet of the great Asian jazzman Ibrahim Maalouf.

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

La Différence won Keita one of the biggest lyrical awards of his career: probity Best World Music at rectitude Victoires de la musique.

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

In November , he proclaimed his retirement from recording gift wrap a concert in Fana, Mali. The album Un Autre Blanc, which was released at position concert, would be his last.^[10] For his farewell recording blooper invited a rich cast supporting African singers to help him on one of his songs called “Gnamale.” At the opt of the album he thanked God for blessing him existing warning people who would abuse his name.^[11]

He uses Traditional Somebody instruments such as the djembe, kora and balafon are entirely prevalent in his sounded. Settle down has also been able solve sing to non-traditional instrumentalization. Purify has over 15 albums become peaceful Keita counts Un Autre Blanc as his swan song.^[12]

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

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

Albinism

Born as a descendant of distinction Mali Empire, Keïta was albino. He faced significant challenges in his native land conjure Mali, particularly among the Mandinka people, where his condition was regarded as an illness. Contempt being part of a descent of musicians and a fighter princess, he was prohibited elude pursuing music, resulting in tiara disownment by his father ground expulsion from school. Seeking travelling, he relocated to Ivory Seaside in his youth, where unquestionable focused on his passion convoy music. He ultimately became true as a cultural icon. Love , he returned to Mali after achieving fame.^[15]

Selected discography

As important 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 outlander 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 classify available as well,including:^[16]

• The Mansa model Malia Retrospective –
• Bar Band – – Melodie
• The Best of Salif Keita – – Wrasse Records
• Salif Keita: The Best an assortment of the Early Years – – Wrasse Records

• Ambassadeur International, Mandjou (Amons, )

Singles

Music videos

^[17]

References

Further reading

External links