and through it we can express our emotions” Amadou says.
Born in Ouagadougou,Burkina Faso, Amadou Kienou is the seventh son in a family of praise singers
of Dafing origin,a nomad tribe that settled down
of Dafing origin,a nomad tribe that settled down
during the time of the Mandingue Empire.
Praise singers from father to son,the Kienou are renowned and very popular professional dancers
and musicians in Burkina Faso.
Amadou has been initiated in music within his family,mostly by his father,the late Baba Kienou,
a distinguished and famous djeli
who brought his personal touch to big national and cultural events like the Djandjoba,in the sixties
and young Amadou learned to play by his side,most of the traditional instruments:the djembé,the balafon,the doundoun,the tama and the n'goni.
Amadou Kienou from 1986 on,became the main percussionist of the "Ensemble Instrumental du Burkina Faso",then in 1988 of the Wande company of Moussognouma Kouyate and next year he joined "Ensemble Artistique de Désiré Bonogo"
During the mid-90's he was also a member of the contemporary dance company " Salia n' Seydou" under the direction
of choreographer Salia Sanou and as musician-narrator in the "Fa Djiri Lolo-Théâtre" company.
In '95 he founded his own group " Amadou Kienou et l' Ensemble Fôteban" ,
with brothers,sisters and cousins musicians and dancers from the extended Kienou family:
Oumar Kienou, Issoufou Kiénou, Dramane Konate, Dara Sanou,Salimata Kienou,Korotimi Ina Kienou.
