Soungalo Coulibaly - Percussions et Chants du Mali (CD)

Following up the bonus from the previous post with a CD by Soungalo Coulibaly seems a very good idea at the end of this very first year for Mangue Music. Soungalo is a djembe player, and music from djembe players is usuable mostly appreciated by drummers and percussionists. Fortunately for all of us on his first international album he and his band played really good songs, so likeable for all open-minded music lovers!!

 

from the booklet: Soungalo Coulibaly was 1955 born in Beleko in southern Mali. He started to play percussion at the early age of eight, and it can be said that he is self-taught because, against the wishes of his father, who was the village headman, and without any formal training, he managed to learn everything he happened to hear: the traditions of his region, then of the other regions of Mali, and then he left this country, those of the Ivory Coast and Guinea.
His humble and friendly exterior conceals an exceptional master of percussion. His most personal phrasing, his perfect dexterity, his forceful and precise strike make Soungalo Coulibalyone of the most brilliant djembe players of our time. In Europe, where he has toured for the last few years, he was first known and appreciated as a percussionist. But he is also unequalled as composer and conductor. Among the great virtuosi of percussion, there is no-one else who has such talent for orchestration. Since 1979 he has been living in Bouake (a melting pot of living traditions), and there he formed his group which at the moment includes about fifteen musicians (percussionists, guitarists, balafon players) who invent and perform their new music which has its roots in the culture of the legendary Mali and in the traditions of the various different ethnic groups of West-Africa.

Soungalo Coulibaly died on 2004 March 09 from cancer.

More info at:

• basic biography at wikipedia.org
• extensive biography at djembefola.com

Listen to the first track:


COULIBALY SOUNGALO - Percussions et Chants du Mali (1992, CD)

tracklist: 1.Laila Ilala (5:58) / 2.N'tana Don Tie (6:18) / 3.Manamani (7:03) / 4.Favreau (4:22) / 5.Ya Kegne Nya Fuye (8:22) / 6.I Be Mirila Mouna? (6:53) / 7.Tata (4:09) / 8.Fanta Kaba (5:38) / 9.Djina Mousso Karogwele (6:12) / 10.Ya Marouwo! (9:30) / 11.Mafatiebile (4:31)

musicians: Soungalo Coulibaly - solo djembe / Mariam Doumbia - vocals, karinian, yabara / Bassi Kouyate - vocals, guitars, tama / Siaka Diabate - solo balafon, djembe / Lassine Sanou - doundoun, balafon / Germain Angeli (pupil of Soungalo) - djembe, doundoun

Discography

1989: Naya! (K7)
1992: Percussions et Chants du Mali - Laila Ilala (CD, Arion)
1995: Dengo (CD, Arion) - available at freedomspear
1999: Sankan Wulila (CD, Arion)
2002: L'Art du Djembe (CD, Arion)
2004: Live (CD, Arion)
Film-2001: Mogobalu
Film-2004: Soungalo Coulibaly Live

To watch, while eating a

:

• Soungalo with group 2002.Aug at a wedding Bouaké (Ivory Coast)