Bako Dagnon - 2008.Nov.01 at Womex [R6]

Bako Dagnon - live at Womex 2008 [source: Radio 6]

Bako Dagnon (also written as Backo or Baco Dagnon), born 1948 in N'Golobladji [near Kita in Mali], started singing as a child, accompanying her mother at ceremonies such as baptisms and marriages. Being a griot, she was teached in genealogy and the history of Mali, in order to sing about Mali's great past, going back to the Mali empire of the thirteenth century. After having participated at local shows in Kita, she was selected for the Biennale of Bamako in 1972 to represent her region.
At the Biennale, she was very successful with he song "Yiri Kolo". In 1974, she was recruted to join the Ensemble Instrumental National du Mali, where she stayed for 10 years. Along with great female singers such as Mokontafe Sacko, Sarafing Kouyaté, Wandé Kouyaté and Nantenedié Kamissoko, she helped developing and promoting traditional Malian music with the Ensemble Instrumental. Moreover, the dean of Mali music, the late Bazoumana Sissoko, invited her several times to sing at his house.
After a serious road accident in the 1980s Bako decided to leave the Ensemble Instrumental, which at the time was suffering from a lack of funding. In 1990, she was offered a record deal by an Indian music producer from Liberia and registered her first cassette record [Super Sound #SS.81]. After the recording of a second cassette [title unknown], the production company disappeared in the midst of the Liberian Civil War.
In the 1990s, Bako Dagnon continued giving public and private concerts, however she didn't do recordings until the beginning of the 2000s when she managed to gain some popularity outside of Mali. She participated on the albums Mandekalou (2004), Mandekalou II (2006) and Electro Bamako (2006). In 2007, under the production of Ibrahima Sylla, her first international solo album, Titati, was recorded and released on Syllart Records. At the end of 2008 she did a showcase at Womex in Sevilla. On 2009 January 14 Bako Dagnon was made a knight of the National Order of Mali. Later in that year she recorded with the same team as two years earlier, her next, 7th, album titled Sidiba.
Some years later Bako became seriously ill, she died 2015 July 07 in the Hospital of Point-G in Bamako. Her funeral was organised the following day in the neighbourhood where she had been living, it took place in the presence of numerous public figures and political leaders.
sources used: musiques-afrique and wikipedia


Listen to a track of Bako's showcase at Womex



DAGNON-BAKO-20081101_Womex - R6


setlist: 5 tracks [titles not given]
broadcasted 2008.November live at Dutch Radio 6
line up: Arnold Moueza - percussions / Bako Dagnon - vocals / Hadja Kouyaté - backing vocals / Lassana Aliou Diabaté - guitar / Mama Sissoko - guitar / Pascal Mikaelian - harmonica

Bonus in download:

• 2010.Sep.09, RFI Musique du Monde - Live au studio 136 avec Bako Dagnon [et Mouss et Hakim]
  setlist: interview / 1.Sidiba / interview // others // 2.Badjigui / interview // others
• live video of Bako Dagnon - as promotion for Sidiba [2009]

More from and about Bako Dagnon

• 2007-09: album tracks at soundcloud - Toubaka [from Titati] and Fadeen To [from Sidiba]
• 2009-12: The Voice of Tradition - Bako Dagnon and her Family - at growingintomusic and vimeo
  this is an extract of the film 'Da Kali - the pledge to the art of the griots' by Lucy Duran
  note: Trio Da Kali was brought together during the above filming by Lucy Duran
• 2010.July: article in Le Monde - in French
• 2010.Aug.12: article in Liberation - in French
• 2010.Sep.22: live performance at Ina Music Live - watch Sidiba / Titati
• 2013 [?]: Sumu Kura Bako Dagnon - starting with performances by others - followed by a talk with Bako - final with Bako performing
• 2015.Dec.22: Remembering Bako Dagnon [and Venâncio Mbande] by Banning Eyre - afropop [note: page layout is chaotic, corrected version is included in download]

Discography

ca.1990: Bako Dagnon [local K7, Super Sound Inc #SS.81, Liberia] - posted at freedomspear *
other local K7s: Nnah vol.1 / Kedo / and 2 more, titles unknown
2004: VA - Mandekalou - The Art And Soul Of The Mande Griots - vocals on 2 tracks
2006: VA - Mandekalou II - he Art And Soul Of The Mande Griots II - vocals on 2 tracks
2006: Marc Minelli - Electro Bamako [CD, All Other ‎#AOM.007] - vocals on Donso Ke
2007: Titati [CD, Syllart /Discograph 613301-2] - press release [in French]
2009: Sidiba [CD, Syllart /Discograph] - press release [in French] [seems liner notes of CD] / liner notes by Lucy Duran [in French]
2011: Live [digital release only] - listenable at bandcamp

* have missed that K7 posted at freedomspear and now the download is not available anymore, can a kind soul reading this post and having the audio of this K7 contact me by mail or through this post's comments [thanks in advance!]

NEVER EVER FORGET:

"il faut me pardonner - you must forgive me"

Pap Djah's last words before left on his own in the Sahara desert (in Niger)

KAMALAMAS - Surinam Tropical Sound [1969]

This album I found a few weeks ago on a book fair, where in a corner they had some vinyl for real bargain prices. Mainly floppy pop, a lot of classical and some "other music", of course I was only interested in the latter and found this:

scan of the album I found at the fair

Now I have to say, that I know [knew!] nothing of Surinam music, am hardly interested in music from South-America, but couldn't resist this one. Played it at home, like it a lot and delved into the behinds of this album, without any date on it anywhere. Also the label was strange to me as I know BASF only from empty tapes and K7s, they produced in the past, and chemicals they've done always. Anyway I found a lot of interesting info and let's start with a bio of the band leader.

Biography of Charles 'Eddy' Muringen

Charles 'Eddy' Muringen (1934.Jan.28 - 2009.Feb.18) grew up in Paramaribo, Surinam [former Dutch colony in South-America], as the youngest of a family of 7 children. At a very young age, when he was a boy scout, he opted for the musical genes.The trumpet became his first instrument, later he also learned to play the piano, guitar and vibraphone.
On 1956 March 01 Eddy entered the army, in which he would become one of the bandleaders ["Kapellmeister"] from 1975 till 1985, that make him one of the most important people in the music history of Suriname.
Some months later he married his girlfriend Thelma Henriette Burleson, their marriage is blessed with 7 children.
In 1969, he traveled as a trumpet player and one of the composers and arrangers to the [Militairy] Tattoo in Delft, the Netherlands. This musical spectacle causes many surprises with the audience because of the mixing of marching music with the Kaseko [musical genre from Suriname, a fusion of pop and folk styles from Europe, Africa and the Americas].
After this thunderous performance in Delft, Eddy immediately decided to use the opportunity to record an album, which will become legendary. In a studio in Heemstede, together with some members of the TRIS Chapel with which he is currently in the Netherlands, the LP 'Eddy Muringen and the Kamalamas" is recorded.
One of his most famous compositions on the album is 'We gwe ma we kon baka', which can still be heard on the radio, during concerts and at other occasions, almost 5 decades later. Another composition is 'Sinangoo', it is impossible to sit still when you hear its first tones.
Many believe that the songs on this LP can be considered belonging to the kaseko jazz genre and that it is the basis for this type of music. Musicians themselves are of the opinion that Eddy Muringen was the founder of the Kamalama style [instrumental kaseko] as we still know it today.
Later he was a member of many legendary groups like La Sonora Paramarera, Orchestra Tropical, Swing Masters, Cojunto Latinos, Popular Orchestra, Muringen Combo and Rodrigues Combo. He also gave music lessons to school teachers, many people still remember having received the solfège lessons from him.
In his 70s he is diagnosed with cancer, on 2009.Feb.18, just 2 weeks after his 75th birthday, he dies. At his funeral his children sing the stars from the sky. Suriname lost a great musician there, but his legacy is invaluable.
source: based on "The musical heritage of Charles 'Eddy' Muringen", in Dutch [translation]


Listen to Emelina Gerardina from the album



KAMALAMAS - Surinam Tropical Sound - led by Eddy Muringen [1969]


Kamalamas led by Eddy Muringen - Surinam Tropical Sound (Skratji Pokoe)
1969, LP, BASF #12-25478-6 [Holland/Surinam]
side A: a1.Sinango / a2.Emelina Gerardina / a3.Mina Mina / a4.Mi Brada / a5.Badji Kamalama / a6.Bosi Né Lowé //
side B: b1.Tintong / b2.Salm Kang / b3.Mé Gwé / b4.Sang Joe Dé Watji Mi / b5.Soekroe Finga / b6.Bari Na Doti

all songs traditionals arranged by Eddy Muringen and Alberto Gemerts
line-up: Eddy Muringen - piano / August Macintosch - trumpet / Carlo Jones - alt sax / Leo Knoppel - tenor sax / Albert Collins - drums / Johan Cederboom - skratji drong (percussion) / Ronald Esseboom - bass

Liner Notes [translation]:

Skratji Pokoe is one of the Surinam old rhythms. On this album Eddy Muringen and his Kamalama's give in a dignified way rebirth to this piece of Surinam culture, which is for the first time recorded for release on vinyl.
The hart of this music is the 'skratjidrong', which must be played in a special way, to reveal its characteristic rhythm. We have to be grateful to Eddy and his band, that with this LP, they have recorded for eternity this piece of traditional music from Surinam.
BASF wishes you many pleasant hours of dancing on the music of this album.
original liner notes in Dutch and Sranan Tongo [Surinam creole language] on backside of sleeve

About Kaseko - the music of Surinam

The slaves in Surinam brought with them their own music from West-Africa [Benin, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegambia]. After some time the various styles melted together with leading roles by the holy drums [Apinti] and the vocals. This music, called Winti, was in 6/8 time signature and finally got banned because of its ritual-religious character.
After the abolishment of slavery in the 19th century most former slaves awaited unemployment and they moved from the plantations to the towns at the coast. There they encountered various string instruments, which they integrated into their own musical style, developed in common 4/4 time signature, called Kawina. 

skratji-drong [source]

In the 1930s the army, police and scouts started their own musical groups, chapels and marching bands, and recruited local musicians, who got introduced to wind instruments and learned to play marches. To earn some extra money, they also performed in their free time and started integrating the new instruments into their own music. This way did arise the typical Surinam music called Bigi Poka with improvisations on wind instruments.
A typical Bigi Poka orchestra consisted of tuba, banjo, snare drums, saxes, trumpets and the skratji-drong, a hand played base-drum with a cymbal on top. One by one newer instruments, like electric guitar and bass and drum kit were introduced and replaced some of  the older ones. Also the style developed from improvisation into songs with lead vocals. At this point, in the 1960s, the music from these bands is called Kaseko.
source: article in 1980s music magazine [paper copy, I happened to start rereading this week]

The posted album is the only recorded instrumental Kaseko and considered a real classic in Surinam.



skratji-drong played live in the 1980s [source: 1980s music magazine]

NEVER EVER FORGET:

"il faut me pardonner - you must forgive me"

Pap Djah's last words before left on his own in the Sahara desert (in Niger)

Thomas Mapfumo - 1998.Jul.07 Peel Session BBC

I have posted two tracks of a repeat of this session before, now I'm happy to present to you the complete 4-track session as broadcasted by John Peel himself.

Thomas Mapfumo - source BBC artists

Listen to Chickende from the session


MAPFUMO THOMAS - 19980707 - Peel Session BBC [orig&rpt]



Thomas Mapfumo & the Blacks Unlimited
rec.1998.Jul.07 - Radio 1 Peel Session - bc.1998.Aug.11
tracklist: 1.Dai Pasina Satani# / 2.Chickende / 3.Mukadzi Wemukoma# / 4.Usatambe Nenyoka#
notes: all tracks as broadcasted by John Peel, incl.his in-outros; tracks marked #, also included as repeated 2017-19 on BBC 6 music

More about Thomas Mapfumo

• see previous post from 2018.Sep [incl.Kershaw 2002 session]

This was a first quick post today, stay tuned for the later main dish, from areas not featured previously on here on Mangue Music!!

NEVER EVER FORGET:

"il faut me pardonner - you must forgive me"

Pap Djah's last words before left on his own in the Sahara desert (in Niger)

Kasse Mady Diabate 2014.Nov at BBC & VPRO

Since some time I wanted to post the 2014 session and live recordings I had from Kasse Mady Diabate, but both had some weak points: the BBC session had an incomplete track and the VPRO live recordings were only 4 tracks.



Kassé Mady Diabaté - 2014.Nov.30 at Music Meeting XS

First this week at BBC 6music the incomplete track was fully rebroadcasted, and then, when searching more from Kasse Mady, I found that the whole 2014.Nov.30 concert at the Music Meeting XS is available at VPRO's own site. Probably since the 4 tracks were broadcasted in their Vrije Geluiden radio show late 2014, but curiously I never came across the full concert before.


Listen to a track from the BBC session


Kasse Mady Diabate 2014.Nov - Session and Live


2014.Nov.23, BBC 6music Cerys on 6 - Session
setlist: introduction / 1.Ko Kuma Magni / interview / 2.Simbo
rpt.BBC 6music Gideon Coe on 2019.Oct.30  and 2019.May.22
line-up: Kasse Mady Diabate - vocals / Makan 'Badje' Tounkara - ngoni
note: with translations and explanations by Lucy Duran

2014.Nov.30, Music Meeting XS
setlist: Simbo [Kassé Mady Diabaté] / Sory [trad.] / Kirike [trad.] / Yatoba [trad.] / Mamadou [trad.] / solo Balake / Sadio [trad.] / Kokuma [trad.]
bc.2014.Dec.21, Radio 6 Soul & Jazz - Vrije Geluiden VPRO [only 4 tracks]
full concert listenable at the VPRO Vrije Geluiden website [who knows till when, so included for your forever enjoyment!]
line-up: Kassé Mady Diabaté - zang / Ballaké Sissoko - kora / Lansine Kouyaté - balafoon / Badjé Tounkara - ngoni



Ballaké Sissoko - Badjé Tounkara - Kassé Mady Diabaté - Lansine Kouyaté
2014.Nov.30 Music Meeting XS

More about/from Kasse Mady Diabate:

• Obituary: Kassé Mady Diabaté 1949-2018 - by Lucy Durán
• Kasse Mady (1949-2018), moving tribute by Stefan at WrldSrv
• Interview with Kassé Mady Diabaté [2015.Jul at Womad] - rhythmpassport.com  
• Interview [and music] with Kassé Mady Diabaté [ca.2017] - youtube
• Just before the Music Meeting XS, Kasse Mady together with Badje Tounkara did a session in the VPRO TV studio [youtube]: Ko Kuma Magni / Toumarou

NEVER EVER FORGET:

"il faut me pardonner - you must forgive me"

Pap Djah's last words before left on his own in the Sahara desert (in Niger)