Baaba Maal Samba Diabaré Samb

 Baaba Maal  and  Samba Diabaré Samb
  till we meet again.....

                                           plus

Mamar Kassey

In 1976 Yacouba Moumouni was a 10-year-old shepherd living on the fringe of the Sahara desert in Niger.
Moumouni's father had died, leaving his older brother in charge of the family and the flock.
The young Moumouni fought often with his brother,
so he left home for the capital of Niamey, 125 miles away. On foot. alone. 
The rest is history, or at least it is in Niger. Moumouni spent two homeless years on Niamey's streets before taken in as the singer's Absatou Danté apprentice.

He learned the seyse, the flute of the Peul, and after seven years of training,
joined the Ballet National du Niger.
In 1990, he became one of the singers of Orchestre Takeda, the house orchestra
of the newly opened musical academy Centre de formation et de promotion musicale in Niamey.
At the CFPM, he met Abdoulaye Alassane,guitarist, and band leader of Super Kassey and  Orchestre Takeda.
They formed together in 1995 Mamar Kassey named after a legendary warrior who extended the Songhai Empire into the Sahara..
and soon became the most popular musical group to emerge from that dry west African country...
.......





 Mamar Kassey Live 
 unknown date and place ,probably early zero's

+ bonus track from their latest Taboussizé-Niger

Taboussizé

songs from the kingdom of N’Gabu

The Kaabu Empire (also spelt N’Gabu / Gabu) started as a westward extension of the Manding Empire. Its rulers were ordained into office by the king of Mali (Manding) but as Mali declined during the 15th century the Kaabu became autonomous. Among the western Mandinka who inhabit Senegambia, Kaabu was second only to Manding in importance and its ruling dynasty, who bore the title of Nyanchos, were better known, more respected and more jealous of their heritage than any other of the Western Mandinka dynasties. ......continue to an essential history lesson

next  a  request
songs from the past to the future

*****

eclipse

Your Love is Ever Young

Now that my heart has been at 

peace for so long, 

Why do you reawaken our love 

again? 

This is sinful of you; leave my heart 

at peace, undisturbed. 

When we were still close, had you 

rejected me, 

It would then have been easy for 

us to be reconciled, 

But the span of time made my 

heart deprived, 

Inured to suffering for want of you. 

Now It is as though your heart 

is longing, 

Feeling the pain In my heart for you 

You will flame the fire of anticipation, 

Which you extinguished before by 

your own hand. 

If I could forget the past 

And If I could bear the price of 

recapturing time, 

I would discover another lifetime 

to relive the past. 

When we are together, you are 

accusing and I accepting 

It is hard for me to speak as if our 

love is past. 

Since It exists as it was, and now 

even more strongly 

I remind you of the nights past. 

Describing and imagining how 

heavenly they were. 

You are the joy and ecstasy, 

And you are the pain and agony, 

And what is love, except these all? 

As time passes by, year after year, 

Your love is ever young. 

I could forget the past joys which 

have scarred my heart. 

I will be awake nights whirling over 

memories of our past. 

I would that I could forget the past 

And its pain which left its burn in 

my tear

If this is memory, tears will 

stream down 

From the overwhelming joy of 

your memory, 

You to whom I have devoted my life, 

Yearning for your devotion In return, 

You are the joy and ecstasy, 

And you are the pain and agony, 

And what IS love, except these all? 

As time passes by, year after year, 

Your love is ever young, 

Oh, you That your love lives in 

my heart. 

Within the shadow of unity 

You are Imagination; you are 

the spirit; 

You are the companion of 

all wishes, 

Time will come and go, and you 

remain the eternal love, 

How can I say how It was in 

the past? 

In the past. tomorrow was In 

the future, 

And the present will pass before 

we notice it. 

When I am with you in a trance In 

your sea of love, 

I do not notice what is passing from 

my life 

Whether you accept or reject me, 

You alone will be In my mind 

As the one I shall always love, 

As I have loved In the past 

You are the joy and ecstasy, 

And you are the pain and agony, 

And what is love, except these all? 

As time passes by, year after year, 

Your love is ever young

Ahmed Rami poetry

Riadh As'soombati music

no,I didn't abandon this blog
how could I?
Just another eclipse.....

Sina Sinayoko

Originaire de Bankounmana, un village proche du fleuve Niger

Sina Sinayoko, avec son album titré Boula,

traduit l’art musical des chasseurs malinkés avec le donso simbi 

the instruments

Abdoulaye Diabaté- bolon

Djeli Moussa Kouyaté- guitar

Souleymane Doumbouyha - percussion

the voices

Sina Sinayoko - vocals

Diarra Keita

Maimouna Keita

Salimata Keita - backing vocals

a true work of love produced by Salif Keita
recorded at his Wanda  studio in Bamako
with his 3 sisters as vocalists
Boula is a  wonderful record and the only one  from this great storyteller

the  tracks that i  like most among all the  jewels 

Djadjon

Gedain

not posting the whole record 
as.  its worth (and I guess it will be relatively easy) to find  a physical copy out there

Nyarela

This song speaks of  the great men , the brave men who made useful things in
this world before they die.
We dedicate it to the fallen heroes who lie in front  . Many brave men rest in  Nyaréla .
Young girls, small children, the children who fought for  the liberation of our homeland lie in Nyaréla .
 The world is sick, it became a fresh onion without seeds.
We have to be united , this union  ensures the smooth running of things.
Talking is difficult, not  talking is difficult , keeping silent is not good , mouth is a source of trouble. . Speech is learned but  it doesn't  force you .In the past, there were kings able to plant a needle , to pray in its shadow or to steal  the saddle of a horse. These kings always exist  but their reign is over. The times of the  generous kings are over.Today there are more enemies except the  rogues.These rascals say that we, the djéli , disturb . In the name of Allah, when we disturb someone, he becomes famous.

The Stories of the sons of Bambara are becoming   more and more  rare.

 less.and less ,those  interested in them

Death is a reality and  resurrection is a lie , however, it does not destroy hope.

* Niarela is a district with a well known cemetery  in Bamako

22 long minutes in  Nyarela

with Mah Damba : chant.
 Mamaye Kouyaté : ngoni, djembé.
Sidi Modibo Kouyaté : ngoni. Makhan Tounkara : guitare, ngoni. Marna Sissoko : guitare, tamani.
Djeli Madi Kouyaté : balafon. Djoké Sissoko : flé, flûte bambara.
 Djeli Sékou Kouyaté, Assa Sissoko, Mamani Keita, Niama Tounkara, Sadyou Damba : choeurs.

Dance of the fishermen

celebrating the annual  collective fishing 

with 

Dimba Tamboura, Hamadou Guindo, Hamadou Tienta  & Naouma Danbélé

Danse des pecheurs