Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Salif Keita

Frank Bessem's
Musiques d'Afrique:

Salif Keita
(Mali)

Musiques d'Afrique
Musiques du Mali
Pictures

Salif Keita started his career as a professional singer in 1970, when he became a singer of one of the two big bands in Mali, the Rail Band. This band, that played in the restaurant of the railway station of Bamako, was already using Malian musical traditions. In 1973, he changed to the other big band, les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako, which was considered making more modern music. In 1978, the group changed its name to Ambassadeurs Internationaux when moving to Abidjan, in order to look for more possibilities for recording and for reaching new (international) audiences.

Eventually in 1984, Salif moved to France and started a solo career with the outstanding Soro album. The rest is history. He released several albums in various styles and he is seen as a respected member of the world music community.

His latest albums Moffou and M’bemba are excellent examples of how an acoustic album should sound like.

Born: 25 August, 1949, in Djoliba.
Style: Mandingo music.

Discography:

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
20th Century Masters	2007	Universal Music	The Millennium Collection
M’Bemba	2005	Universal Music/Emarcy
Remixes from Moffou	2004	Universal Music France
The Best of the Early Years	2002	Wrasse Records WRASS 083
Moffou	2002	Universal Music France 016 906-2
Golden Voice - Best of Salif Keita	2001	Wrasse Records WRASS 059	2CD
Papa	1999	Metro Blue/ Capitol Records 499070-2
Sosie	1997	MS Verdenshjørnet DKMS 9600	French "chansons"
Folon	1995	Mango CDIM 1108
69-80	1994	Sonodisc CD 74646	Sampler of 1969-80 recordings
The Mansa of Mali...A Retrospective	1994	Mango 20849-2	Sampler of 1987-93 recordings plus 1978 Mandjou
L'Enfant Lion	1993	Island	O.S.T. of l'Enfant Lion, a film made by Patrick Grandperret
Amen	1991	Mango 261694
Ko-Yan	1989	Island 259850
Soro	1987	Island
Albums with Manfila Kanté:
Salif Keïta & Kanté Manfila - The Lost Album	2005	Cantos	Compilation, with 3 unreleased tracks composed by Kemo Kouyaté
Dans l'authenticité, Vol.2	1979	Badmos BLP 5032
Dans l'authenticité, Vol.1	1979	Badmos BLP 5031
With the Ambassadeurs Internationaux:
Classics Titles	2006	Cantos	Compilation CD
Tounkan	1984	Celluloid CEL 6717	LP
Primpin	1983	Celluloid CEL 6640	LP
Djougouya	1983	Celluloid CEL 6635	LP
Mandjou	1979	Badmos	Also on Celluloid CEL 6721 (1984)