Mory Kante was a Guinean singer particularly known for being one of the undisputed masters of the Kora, a typical instrument of West Africa. But also to belong to a family of Griots, particularly famous in Africa for being at the same time poets, singers of praise, outlines and historians, all at the same time.
It was at the age of 7 that he was sent to Mali to begin learning the Kora as well as learning the typical Griot song. An apprenticeship which will last about fifteen years and which will allow him to become a recognized artist over the years.
As for her artistic career, it was at the age of 21 that she really started when he joined the group Rail Band in 1971, in which he met a certain Salif Keita ! A group he left two years later.
A first eponymous solo album was released in 1982 but did not find much resonance with the general public despite a great success. Just like “A Paris” and “10 Colas Nuts” which were released in 1984 and 1986 respectively.
But he will have to wait until 1988 to finally see his efforts paid off to live up to his expectations. And it’s the huge single “Yé ké yé ké” that will create a sensation and propel him overnight to the rank of planetary star. A single that will sell millions of copies around the world and smash everything in its path.
Flagship title taken from the album "Akwaba beach" released a year earlier in 1987.
Planetary success that will be the one and only of his entire career, a colorful career that will end definitively on May 22, 2020, the date of his death at the age of 70 from chronic diseases.
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Courougnégné 1981
Bantiero 1982
Wari Massilani 1984
M’Balou 1984
Kebeno 1986
Kouma 1986
Nonsense (Apartheid) 1986
Yé ké yé ké 1988
Tama 1988
Akwaba beach 1988
Bankiero 1990
Mankene 1990
Sanfing 1990
La tension 1993
M’Bara Yarabi 1993
On yarama foulbeh 1996
Mariage 1996
Africains 1996
Nin kadi (Too much of a good thing) 2001
Mosso 2001
Diananko 2004
Bedoke 2012
Malibala 2012
Clips :
1981 ... the particularly rhythmic beginnings of a gifted young person who in a few years will become one of the main references of African musical culture throughout the world ...
1982 ... an original style which perfectly knows how to blend tradition and modernity. And which makes the ideal link between traditional African music and new trends emerging at the start of the 1980s ...
1984 ... and what makes its strength all the more is that he is able to understand all styles and especially all rhythms. Supercharged as much softer. The proof !
1984 ... the rise in power is linear and above all certain. The young singer proves title after title that we will have to count on him in the years to come and the future will prove him damn right !
1986 ... it is clear that almost all of his discography will be based mainly on frenzied rhythms. African culture obliges !
1986 ... the exception that makes the rule. A timeless title and above all of all the standards of the moment. This is also the magic of the 80s ...
1986 ... he still hasn't found THE title that could make all the difference but we are getting closer. Up close ... very, very close ...
1988 ... and the famous title that will change everything, there it is ! He delivers here an enormous title Dance which will remain quite simply like the biggest success of all his career and which allows him at the same time to enter in a shattering way to say the least in the musical Pantheon of the 80s. A well deserved recognition. MAS-TER-FUL !
1988 ... even if this title is far from unworthy, impossible to compete a little bit with the previous steamroller. This does not prevent the singer from continuing the adventure in the best possible way ...
1988 ... a year 1988 which will undoubtedly remain as its best vintage. Everything smiles at him as if by magic. When it wants, it wants !
1990 ... after an 80s decade which saw him hatch and then explode, will the 90s be the decade of definitive consecration. Not sure unfortunately ...
1990 ... a nice title full of finesse which allows the artist to once again show all his versatility. An artist for the less complete !
1990 ... a year 1990 which definitely rhymes with finesse and lightness. The titles are particularly inspired and simply do good. What more !
1993 ... back to pure dance. The sound of the title sticks well with the times but unfortunately will not allow him to return to the race ...
1993 ... even if he will never repeat the feat achieved on 'Yé ké yé ké', this does not prevent him from being recognized as one of the most gifted African artists of his generation. A well-deserved recognition !
1996 ... he continues his adventure for whatever reason, far from the star system and the dictas of the Top50. A freedom that inevitably comes at a price, that of going somewhat under the radar ...
1996 ... a style that is still as playful as ever. A little over 15 years after his emergence on the international scene, the singer does not intend to stop there, it is clear ...
1996 ... he even tries to adapt to the latest trends of the moment and his good will is nice to see. But goodwill is unfortunately not always enough to work miracles ...
2001 ... he tries so hard to adapt to the latest trends that he will even get closer to the golden youth of the time. And the least we can say is that the duo works perfectly !
2001 ... already 20 years of presence at the highest level. Who would've believed that ? A longevity that is only found with the greatest necessarily ...!
2004 ... even if the 2000s will see him decline in a progressive and irreversible way, what he continues to propose is far from being ridiculous. On the other hand, the style does not really correspond to what the young people of this time expected ...
2012 ... and here he is entering his 4th decade without complex. With this time a more trendy style. But it is unfortunately too late to reverse the course of time concerning him ...
2012 ... a last title to close an extraordinary adventure for one of the most talented African artists. He will have known how to carry loud and clear his ancestral culture while modernizing it as few artists will have done before him. What talent !
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