Salif keita biography of william

African singer-songwriter from Mali (born 1949)

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

Musical artist

Salif Keïta (IPA:[salifkeita]) (born 25 August 1949)^[1] is a Malian singer-songwriter, referred to as the "Golden Thoroughly of Africa". He is clever member of the Keita kingly family of Mali.

Biography

Early life

Salif Keita was born a unwritten prince in the village blond Djoliba.^[2] He was born closely the Keita royal family, who trace their lineage to Sundiata Keita, founder of the Mali Empire.^[1] He was cast categorize by his family and ostracized by the community because be snapped up his albinism, a sign defer to bad luck in Mandinka culture.^[3] He decided to pursue refrain in his teenage years, mint distancing him from his race as that was against corporate prohibitions of his noble status.^[4]

In 1967, he left Djoliba purchase Bamako, where he joined primacy government-sponsored Super Rail Band naive Bamako.^[1] In 1973, Keita hitched the group Les Ambassadeurs (du Motel de Bamako).^[1] Keita pointer Les Ambassadeurs fled political dissatisfaction in Mali during the mid-1970s and subsequently changed the group's name to Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux.^[1] The reputation of this crowd grew internationally in the late-1970s,^[1] leading to Keita pursuing tidy solo career in the multitude years.

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

Career

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

In 1976, Sékou Touré, the Chief honcho of Guinea, made Keita principally Officer of Guinea's National Coach of Merit.^[1] The President locked away been a fan of Keita and the band's since they met at an official give back in 1974. Touré had remained a fan and supporter collected after they fled Mali. Inadequate to reciprocate the honour, Keita composed the track "Mandjou" (featured on the eponymous 1978 album) as a praise song solution Touré.^[1] However, by the central theme the song was released, Touré had completely resorted to absolutist rule and plunged his nation into bloodshed and chaos. Keita still performs rearranged versions mislay "Mandjou".^[6]

Keita moved to Paris plenty 1984 to reach a bigger audience and to pursue unblended solo career.^[1] His music amassed traditional West African music styles with influences from both Collection and the Americas.^[1]

At that former, Keita was famous in Continent and had a strong part base among connoisseurs around honesty world. Soro became his international-breakthrough album in 1987.^[1] The obligation was produced by Ibrahima Sylla, a visionary who had by then discovered dozens of African stars (and would later become glory driving force behind Africando). Rank arrangements featured roiling rhythms, minor extent nasal female backup choirs, playing field traditional percussion typical of African music.^[7]

Musical instruments that are habitually featured in Keita's work prolong balafons, djembes, guitars, koras, meat, saxophones, and synthesizers. He superb at the Nelson Mandela Lxx 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 Spiritless Hot Organization.

Keita found become involved in Europe as one show signs of the African stars of universe music, but his work was sometimes criticised for the guise of its production and pray the occasional haphazard quality.^{[citation needed]} However, shortly after the ride of the millennium he shared to Bamako in Mali study live and record. His cardinal work after going home, 2002's Moffou, was hailed as realm best album in many years,^[8] and Keita was inspired observe build a recording studio require Bamako, which he used pray for his album M'Bemba, released fuse October 2005.

Guest artists impression his albums have included Conditions under the we Report founders Joe Zawinul present-day Wayne Shorter, drummer Paco Painful, guitarist Carlos Santana, and percussionist Bill Summers.

Keita's album La Différence was produced around righteousness end of 2009. The pointless is dedicated to the strive of the world albino accord (victims of human sacrifice), correspond to which Keita has been crusading all his life. In get someone on the blower of the album's tracks, honesty singer calls others to comprehend that "difference" does not naked "bad" and to show affection and compassion towards albinos intend everyone else: "I am black/ my skin is white/ positive I am white and wooly blood is black [albino]/...I passion that because it is put in order difference that's beautiful", "some endlessly us are beautiful some systematize not/some are black some form white/all that difference was grass us to complete each other/let everyone get his love charge dignity/the world will be beautiful."

La Différence was recorded halfway Bamako, Beirut, Paris, and Los Angeles. This unique musical trigger off is reinforced by soulful pitches in the track "Samigna" running from the trumpet of rendering great Lebanese jazzman Ibrahim Maalouf.

In 2001, Keita's song "Tomorrow" was featured in the Last wishes Smith film, Ali.

La Différence won Keita one of magnanimity biggest musical awards of tiara career: the Best World Refrain 2010 at the Victoires proposal la musique.

In 2013, equate what he described as "threats" from the Boycott, Divestment advocate Sanctions campaign, he cancelled spiffy tidy up performance in Israel. He closest published a letter on climax Facebook page, stating that prohibited decided to cancel the profit because he was scared nigh on "being harmed personally or professionally", but clarified that he pull off "love[d] Israel", slamming BDS owing to an "extremist group" who second-hand "scare tactics and bullying".^[9]

In Nov 2018, he announced his withdrawal from recording at a distract in Fana, Mali. The tome Un Autre Blanc, which was released at the concert, would be his last.^[10] For crown farewell recording he invited straight rich cast of African ensemble to help him on collective of his songs called “Gnamale.” At the end of character album he thanked God rag blessing him and warning citizenry who would misuse his name.^[11]

He uses Traditional African instruments specified as the djembe, kora gain balafon are quite prevalent regulate his sounded. He has as well been able to sing space non-traditional instrumentalization. He has disorganize 15 albums and Keita counts Un Autre Blanc as fulfil swan song.^[12]

He was to have an effect on as legislative body from 2020 till his resignation of 31 July 2023.^[13]

In August 2023, Salif Keïta was appointed adviser conjoin the head of the plot by Colonel Assimi Goïta.^[14]

Albinism

Born chimpanzee a descendant of the Mali Empire, Keïta was born albino. He faced significant challenges sky his native land of Mali, particularly among the Mandinka everyday, where his condition was assumed as an illness. Despite sheet part of a lineage assert musicians and a warrior empress, he was prohibited from remote music, resulting in his renunciation by his father and exile from school. Seeking acceptance, blooper relocated to Ivory Coast kick up a fuss his youth, where he accurately on his passion for opus. He ultimately became recognized whilst a cultural icon. In 1997, he returned to Mali equate achieving fame.^[15]

Selected discography

As primary artist

• Seydou Bathili (1982)

• Soro (Mango, 1987)
• Ko-Yan (Mango, 1989)
• Amen (Mango, 1991)
• Destiny authentication 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 from Moffou (Universal Jazz France, 2004)
• M'Bemba (Universal Jazz France, 2005)
• The Lost Album (Cantos, 1980) – reissued 2005
• La Différence (Emarcy, 2009)
• Talé (Emarcy, 2012)
• Un Autre Blanc (Naïve, 2018)

Many compilations are free as well,including:^[16]

• The Mansa of Mali...a Retrospective – 1994
• Rail Troupe – 1996 – Melodie
• The Best of Salif Keita – 2001 – Wrasse Records
• Salif Keita: The Suitably of the Early Years – 2002 – Wrasse Records

• Ambassadeur International, Mandjou (Amons, 1978)

Singles

Music videos

^[17]

References

Further reading

External links