In this episode a live-recording of Kankou Kouyaté & Les Etoiles de Garana from Mali, performing at the Afrika Festival in Hertme, Sunday July 7th 2024.
Kankou Kouyaté is a young singer from one of the famous griot families of Mali. She worked with many Malian stars like Toumani Diabate, Bassekou Kouyate and Salif Keita but also had great international success. She worked with Damon Albarn, Brian Eno, the Africa Express collective, and she was part of the album Maison des Jeunes that was a worldwide hit. She won first prize in the music category of the ‘Talents de la Cité’ competition in Ségou, Mali and released the highly acclaimed album Kuma, together with Scottish musician and producer Mark Mulholland, in 2019.
Her lyrics are rooted in the Mandé tradition, addressing all kinds of current social issues like women’s rights and the obligation to be kind and good to other people. Her group, Les Etoiles de Garana, is a family group of nephews and distant cousins of the Kouyaté families.
She grew up with ngoni bass player Madou Kouyate, son of the famous Bassekou and Lassine Kouyate (percussionist with the legendary Baba Salah). The virtuoso ngoni-player Kandiafa was always around in their youth. The drummer and percussionist Legre Thibeat Sery is from Ivory Coast, but emigrated to Mali years ago and plays with Oumou Sangaré and Vieux Farka Touré. The Guinean kora player Sefoudi Kouyate, youngest son of M’Bady Kouyate, performed with Kankou for the first time in Bakoe, in 2023.
Les Etoiles de Garana contribute a modern and authentic groove to the traditions they were brought up in.
Playlist
1 Deni Koungon 6’03
2 Mariage Force 6’54
3 Nganou Balla 6’30
4 Gnani 5’46
5 Doke 5’10
6 Marilulu 9’59
7 N’Darilla 4’39
8 Nianadje 10’45
Performers:
Kankou Kouyate – vocals
Kandiafa – ngoni
Sefoudi Kouyate – kora, backing vocals
Madou Kouyate – bass ngoni, backing vocals
Lassine Kouyate – yabara, tama
Legre Thibaut Sery – calabash, congas, backing vocals
website: Afrika Festival Hertme
