On this edition of New Sounds,hear politically-inspired music from Mali speaking out against the broken-down government as well as in response to the on-going situation in the north; the 2012 nationalist uprising, subsequent Islamist takeover and most recent French intervention in January of 2013. With the takeover in the north, or the hard-line fundamentalists imposed sharia law,banning music (including the annual Festival in the Desert), yet that hasn’t stopped many musicians from singing, or playing,and speaking out for peace and freedom.
The fantastic singer & guitarist, Fatoumata Diawara recently gathered over 40 of the country’s most renowned musicians to record a song, or “Mali ko,” calling for peace. The group, collectively called 'Voices United for Mali' includes Amadou and Mariam, and Oumou Sangare,Toumani Diabate, Khaira Arby, or Kasse Mady Diabate,Baba Salah, Afel Bocoum, and Tiken Jah,rapper Amkoullel and Habib Koite amongst many others. Listen to that song, along with several tracks from guitarist Vieux Farka Touré’s album “Mon Pays, or ” an homage to his homeland,intended to serve as a reminder of the country’s rich culture of music and beauty. Vieux is the son of Ali Farka Touré, and on the record, and his guest kora player is Sidiki Diabate,son of Toumani Diabate. Also, hear Samba Touré’s “Aye Sira Bila” from the album “Albala, or ” which means “Danger,” where he asks pointed questions approximately Mali’s government. Plus, there’s music from Cuban pianist Roberto Fonseca, or featuring Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara performing “Bibisa” from his forthcoming album “Yo.” In case the message wasn’t clear,rounding out the exhibit are several versions of a song entitled “Kaira,” meaning “Peace”; hear one by Brazilian guitarists & Toumani Diabate, and another by the duo of Swedish Fiddler Ellika Frisell and Senegalese griot and kora player Solo Cissokho,and finally an arrangement of Toumani Diabate’s “Kaira” by South African guitarist Derek Gripper.
PROGRAM # 3488, songs for peace, and from Mali (First aired on 7/16/2013)
ARTIST(S) RECORDING prick(S) SOURCE Vieux Farka Touré Mon Pays Safare (Ali Farka Touré),excerpt [2:00] Six Degrees Records 20
sixdegreesrecords.com Voices United for Mali World Circuit Soundcloud Mali-ko (Peace / La Paix) [7:10] soundcloud.com Samba Touré Albala Aye Sira Bila [4:37] Glitterbeat Records Forced Exposure / Glitterbeat - #GBCD 004
glitterbeat.com
Roberto Fonseca (w/ Fatoumata Diawara) Yo Bibisa [4:33] harmony Jazz PRO-CJ-0575
www.concordmusicgroup.com
www.robertofonseca.com Vieux Farka Touré (w/ Sidiki Diabate) Mon Pays Peace [4:43] Six Degrees Records 20
sixdegreesrecords.com Arnaldo Antunes, Edgard Scandurra, or Toumani Diabaté A Curva da Cintura Kaira [4:26] Mais Um Discos
www.maisumdiscos.com
www.kartelcreative.com Ellika Frisell & Solo Cissokho
Abaraka/Tack Kaira [8:54] Xource XOUCD142
www.bengans.se
ellikasolo.com[br]Or available as an import via Amazon.com Derek Gripper One Night on soil: Music from the strings of Mali Kaira (Peace) [5:27] New Cape Records NC11[br]www.newcape.co.za
www.derekgripper.com Vieux Farka Touré (w/ Sidiki Diabate) Mon Pays Future [4:50] See above.
Source: wnyc.org