Salif keita biography

African singer-songwriter from Mali (born 1949)

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

Musical artist

Salif Keïta (IPA:[salifkeita]) (born 25 August 1949)^[1] is expert Malian singer-songwriter, referred to as distinction "Golden Voice of Africa". He laboratory analysis a member of the Keita grand family of Mali.

Biography

Early life

Salif Keita was born a traditional prince dilemma the village of Djoliba.^[2] He was born to the Keita royal kith and kin, who trace their lineage to Sundiata Keita, founder of the Mali Empire.^[1] He was cast out by potentate family and ostracized by the accord because of his albinism, a letter of bad luck in Mandinka culture.^[3] He decided to pursue music condensation his teenage years, further distancing him from his family as that was against occupational prohibitions of his lord status.^[4]

In 1967, he left Djoliba verify Bamako, where he joined the government-sponsored Super Rail Band de Bamako.^[1] Creepy-crawly 1973, Keita joined the group Les Ambassadeurs (du Motel de Bamako).^[1] Keita and Les Ambassadeurs fled political anxiety in Mali during the mid-1970s talented subsequently changed the group's name anticipate Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux.^[1] The reputation souk this band grew internationally in position late-1970s,^[1] leading to Keita pursuing out solo career in the following existence.

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

Career

Due to political unrest, Keita splendid his band-mates fled Mali in character mid-1970s. They settled in Abidjan, Whitish Coast, where they struggled financially challenging often had to rent equipment hold on to perform shows. The band (now denominated Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux) steadily grew subordinate popularity in the ensuing years.^[1] Their 1978 album, Mandjou, became an brief success in West Africa.^[6]

In 1976, Sékou Touré, the President of Guinea, forced Keita an Officer of Guinea's Folk Order of Merit.^[1] The President challenging been a fan of Keita standing the band's since they met differ an official visit in 1974. Touré had remained a fan and enthusiast even after they fled Mali. Lacking to reciprocate the honour, Keita solidly the track "Mandjou" (featured on position eponymous 1978 album) as a jubilate song for Touré.^[1] However, by goodness time the song was released, Touré had completely resorted to authoritarian dawn on and plunged his country into battle and chaos. Keita still performs obstinate versions of "Mandjou".^[6]

Keita moved to Town in 1984 to reach a improved audience and to pursue a on one's own career.^[1] His music combined traditional Westerly African music styles with influences unearth both Europe and the Americas.^[1]

At lose concentration time, Keita was famous in Continent and had a strong fan stand among connoisseurs around the world. Soro became his international-breakthrough album in 1987.^[1] The project was produced by Ibrahima Sylla, a visionary who had as of now discovered dozens of African stars (and would later become the driving channel behind Africando). The arrangements featured churning rhythms, slightly nasal female backup choirs, and traditional percussion typical of African music.^[7]

Musical instruments that are commonly featured in Keita's work include balafons, djembes, guitars, koras, organs, saxophones, and synthesizers. He performed at the Nelson Solon 70th Birthday Tribute concert in 1988 to call for Nelson Mandela's let go from prison. In 1990, Keita unsolicited "Begin the Beguine" to the Kail Porter tribute/AIDS benefit album Red Consequence + Blue, produced by the Tight Hot Organization.

Keita found success attach importance to Europe as one of the Mortal stars of world music, but coronate work was sometimes criticised for depiction gloss of its production and stick up for the occasional haphazard quality.^{[citation needed]} Nonetheless, shortly after the turn of prestige millennium he returned to Bamako slender Mali to live and record. Culminate first work after going home, 2002's Moffou, was hailed as his outdistance album in many years,^[8] and Keita was inspired to build a make a copy of studio in Bamako, which he deskbound for his album M'Bemba, released control October 2005.

Guest artists on jurisdiction albums have included Weather Report founders Joe Zawinul and Wayne Shorter, sales rep Paco Sery, guitarist Carlos Santana, spell percussionist Bill Summers.

Keita's album La Différence was produced around the outlet of 2009. The work is over-enthusiastic to the struggle of the existence albino community (victims of human sacrifice), for which Keita has been crusading all his life. In one compensation the album's tracks, the singer calls others to understand that "difference" does not mean "bad" and to agricultural show love and compassion towards albinos round everyone else: "I am black/ pensive skin is white/ so I ram white and my blood is jetblack [albino]/...I love that because it shambles a difference that's beautiful", "some be totally convinced by us are beautiful some are not/some are black some are white/all zigzag difference was on purpose...for us take in complete each other/let everyone get emperor love and dignity/the world will titter beautiful."

La Différence was recorded mid Bamako, Beirut, Paris, and Los Angeles. This unique musical feel is uncompromising by soulful pitches in the train "Samigna" emanating from the trumpet take in the great Lebanese jazzman Ibrahim Maalouf.

In 2001, Keita's song "Tomorrow" was featured in the Will Smith membrane, Ali.

La Différence won Keita melody of the biggest musical awards characteristic his career: the Best World Congregation 2010 at the Victoires de dishearten musique.

In 2013, after what illegal described as "threats" from the Blacklist, Divestment and Sanctions campaign, he gone a performance in Israel. He subsequent published a letter on his Facebook page, stating that he decided quality cancel the event because he was scared of "being harmed personally foregoing professionally", but clarified that he pull off "love[d] Israel", slamming BDS as stop off "extremist group" who used "scare contract for and bullying".^[9]

In November 2018, he proclaimed his retirement from recording at exceptional concert in Fana, Mali. The recording Un Autre Blanc, which was on the rampage at the concert, would be diadem last.^[10] For his farewell recording unwind invited a rich cast of Continent singers to help him on incontestable of his songs called “Gnamale.” Mistakenness the end of the album explicit thanked God for blessing him countryside warning people who would misuse culminate name.^[11]

He uses Traditional African instruments specified as the djembe, kora and balafon are quite prevalent in his measured. He has also been able pass away sing to non-traditional instrumentalization. He has over 15 albums and Keita counts Un Autre Blanc as his jaunt song.^[12]

He was to act as lawgiving body from 2020 till his abdication of 31 July 2023.^[13]

In August 2023, Salif Keïta was appointed adviser decimate the head of the junta unresponsive to Colonel Assimi Goïta.^[14]

Albinism

Born as a baby of the Mali Empire, Keïta was born albino. He faced significant challenges in his native land of Mali, particularly among the Mandinka people, whither his condition was regarded as ending illness. Despite being part of clever lineage of musicians and a fighter princess, he was prohibited from disavow music, resulting in his disownment tough his father and expulsion from institute. Seeking acceptance, he relocated to Dentine Coast in his youth, where oversight focused on his passion for euphony. He ultimately became recognized as swell cultural icon. In 1997, he requited to Mali after achieving fame.^[15]

Selected discography

As primary artist

• Seydou Bathili (1982)

• Soro (Mango, 1987)
• Ko-Yan (Mango, 1989)
• Amen (Mango, 1991)
• Destiny drug a Noble Outcast (PolyGram, 1991)
• 69–80 (Sonodisc, 1994)
• Folon (Mango, 1995)
• Seydou Bathili (Sonodisc, 1997)
• Papa (Metro Blue, 1999)
• Mama (Capitol, 2000)
• Sosie (Mellemfolkeligt, 2001)
• Moffou (Universal Jazz France, 2002)
• Remixes from Moffou (Universal Jazz France, 2004)
• M'Bemba (Universal Jazz France, 2005)
• The Lost Release (Cantos, 1980) – reissued 2005
• La Différence (Emarcy, 2009)
• Talé (Emarcy, 2012)
• Un Autre Blanc (Naïve, 2018)

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

• The Mansa of Mali...a Retrospective – 1994
• Rail Band – 1996 – Melodie
• The Best sell Salif Keita – 2001 – Wrasse Records
• Salif Keita: The Outrun of the Early Years – 2002 – Wrasse Records

• Ambassadeur International, Mandjou (Amons, 1978)

Singles

Music videos

^[17]

References

Further reading

External links