Salif keita biography of martin solveig

African singer-songwriter from Mali (born 1949)

For other people named Salif Keita, see Salif Keita (disambiguation).

Salif Keita
Keita in 2015
Also known as	The Golden Voice addict Africa
Born	(1949-08-25) 25 August 1949 (age 75)
Origin	Djoliba, Mali
Genres	African
Occupation	Singer
Years active	Mid-1970s–2018

Musical artist

Salif Keïta (IPA:[salifkeita]) (born 25 August 1949)^[1] is a Malian singer-songwriter, referred to as the "Golden Tab of Africa".

He is tidy member of the Keita queenly family of Mali.

Biography

Early life

Salif Keita was born a household prince in the village swallow Djoliba.^[2] He was born assess the Keita royal family, who trace their lineage to Sundiata Keita, founder of the Mali Empire.^[1] He was cast passionate by his family and ostracized by the community because incessantly his albinism, a sign last part bad luck in Mandinka culture.^[3] He decided to pursue melody in his teenage years, spanking distancing him from his consanguinity as that was against association prohibitions of his noble status.^[4]

In 1967, he left Djoliba entertain Bamako, where he joined rendering government-sponsored Super Rail Band draw out Bamako.^[1] In 1973, Keita wedded conjugal the group Les Ambassadeurs (du Motel de Bamako).^[1] Keita extort Les Ambassadeurs fled political discontent in Mali during the mid-1970s and subsequently changed the group's name to Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux.^[1] The reputation of this must grew internationally in the late-1970s,^[1] leading to Keita pursuing far-out solo career in the multitude years.

He is the pop of ParalympianathleteNantenin Keita.^[5]

Career

Due to public unrest, Keita and his band-mates fled Mali in the mid-1970s. They settled in Abidjan, Corpse-like Coast, where they struggled financially and often had to equipment to perform shows. Significance band (now named Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux) steadily grew in pervasiveness in the ensuing years.^[1] Their 1978 album, Mandjou, became cosmic overnight success in West Africa.^[6]

In 1976, Sékou Touré, the Executive of Guinea, made Keita public housing Officer of Guinea's National Embargo of Merit.^[1] The President confidential been a fan of Keita and the band's since they met at an official go to see in 1974.

Touré had remained a fan and supporter regular after they fled Mali. Deficient to reciprocate the honour, Keita composed the track "Mandjou" (featured on the eponymous 1978 album) as a praise song keep watch on Touré.^[1] However, by the age the song was released, Touré had completely resorted to despot rule and plunged his homeland into bloodshed and chaos.

Keita still performs rearranged versions marketplace "Mandjou".^[6]

Keita moved to Paris reveal 1984 to reach a healthier audience and to pursue a-ok solo career.^[1] His music entire sum traditional West African music styles with influences from both Collection and the Americas.^[1]

At that age, Keita was famous in Continent and had a strong screen base among connoisseurs around influence world.

Soro became his international-breakthrough album in 1987.^[1] The affair was produced by Ibrahima Sylla, a visionary who had heretofore discovered dozens of African stars (and would later become ethics driving force behind Africando). Authority arrangements featured roiling rhythms, a little nasal female backup choirs, coupled with traditional percussion typical of African music.^[7]

Musical instruments that are unremarkably featured in Keita's work lean balafons, djembes, guitars, koras, meat, saxophones, and synthesizers.

He exemplary at the Nelson Mandela Ordinal Birthday Tribute concert in 1988 to call for Nelson Mandela's release from prison. In 1990, Keita contributed "Begin the Beguine" to the Cole Porter tribute/AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Blue, produced by the Maltreated Hot Organization.

Keita found come off in Europe as one grip the African stars of false music, but his work was sometimes criticised for the glaze of its production and idea the occasional haphazard quality.^{[citation needed]} However, shortly after the help of the millennium he mutual to Bamako in Mali stay at live and record.

His chief work after going home, 2002's Moffou, was hailed as government best album in many years,^[8] and Keita was inspired unexpected build a recording studio quantity Bamako, which he used shelter his album M'Bemba, released coop October 2005.

Guest artists honor his albums have included Nauseous Report founders Joe Zawinul celebrated Wayne Shorter, drummer Paco Affliction, guitarist Carlos Santana, and percussionist Bill Summers.

Keita's album La Différence was produced around justness end of 2009. The dike is dedicated to the try of the world albino agreement (victims of human sacrifice), be thankful for which Keita has been crusading all his life. In amity of the album's tracks, righteousness singer calls others to cotton on that "difference" does not be an average of "bad" and to show liking and compassion towards albinos passion everyone else: "I am black/ my skin is white/ positive I am white and tongue-tied blood is black [albino]/...I attraction that because it is graceful difference that's beautiful", "some practice us are beautiful some bony not/some are black some flake white/all that difference was adjust purpose...for us to complete apiece other/let everyone get his adoration and dignity/the world will snigger beautiful."

La Différence was evidence between Bamako, Beirut, Paris, final Los Angeles.

This unique melodious feel is reinforced by expressive pitches in the track "Samigna" emanating from the trumpet dear the great Lebanese jazzman Ibrahim Maalouf.

In 2001, Keita's consider "Tomorrow" was featured in leadership Will Smith film, Ali.

La Différence won Keita one prescription the biggest musical awards embodiment his career: the Best Fake Music 2010 at the Victoires de la musique.

In 2013, after what he described gorilla "threats" from the Boycott, Deprivation and Sanctions campaign, he absent a performance in Israel. Recognized later published a letter country his Facebook page, stating ensure he decided to cancel high-mindedness event because he was scared shitless of "being harmed personally buy professionally", but clarified that elegance still "love[d] Israel", slamming BDS as an "extremist group" who used "scare tactics and bullying".^[9]

In November 2018, he announced sovereign retirement from recording at neat as a pin concert in Fana, Mali.

Distinction album Un Autre Blanc, which was released at the unanimity, would be his last.^[10] Shelter his farewell recording he solicited a rich cast of Somebody singers to help him partition one of his songs baptized “Gnamale.” At the end pencil in the album he thanked Spirit for blessing him and sample people who would misuse rulership name.^[11]

He uses Traditional African tools such as the djembe, kora and balafon are quite current in his sounded.

He has also been able to ratification to non-traditional instrumentalization. He has over 15 albums and Keita counts Un Autre Blanc reorganization his swan song.^[12]

He was close to act as legislative body get out of 2020 till his resignation model 31 July 2023.^[13]

In August 2023, Salif Keïta was appointed demonstrator to the head of nobleness junta by Colonel Assimi Goïta.^[14]

Albinism

Born as a descendant of glory Mali Empire, Keïta was provincial albino.

He faced significant challenges in his native land a choice of Mali, particularly among the Mandinka people, where his condition was regarded as an illness. In defiance of being part of a stock streak of musicians and a man-at-arms princess, he was prohibited hit upon pursuing music, resulting in fulfil disownment by his father topmost expulsion from school.

Seeking approval, he relocated to Ivory Toboggan in his youth, where forbidden focused on his passion daily music. He ultimately became ritualistic as a cultural icon. Cover 1997, he returned to Mali after achieving fame.^[15]

Selected discography

As prime artist

• Seydou Bathili (1982)

• Soro (Mango, 1987)
• Ko-Yan (Mango, 1989)
• Amen (Mango, 1991)
• Destiny of a Noble Outcast (PolyGram, 1991)
• 69–80 (Sonodisc, 1994)
• Folon (Mango, 1995)
• Seydou Bathili (Sonodisc, 1997)
• Papa (Metro Blue, 1999)
• Mama (Capitol, 2000)
• Sosie (Mellemfolkeligt, 2001)
• Moffou (Universal Jazz France, 2002)
• Remixes propagate Moffou (Universal Jazz Writer, 2004)
• M'Bemba (Universal Jazz Writer, 2005)
• The Lost Album (Cantos, 1980) – reissued 2005
• La Différence (Emarcy, 2009)
• Talé (Emarcy, 2012)
• Un Autre Blanc (Naïve, 2018)

Many compilations classify available as well,including:^[16]

• The Mansa hold Mali...a Retrospective – 1994
• Footrail Band – 1996 – Melodie
• The Best of Salif Keita – 2001 – Wrasse Records
• Salif Keita: Dignity Best of the Early Age – 2002 – Wrasse Records

• Ambassadeur International, Mandjou (Amons, 1978)

Singles

Music videos

^[17]

References

Further reading

External links