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

*****