Music By Malian Singer & Ngoni Musician Issa Bagayogo

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases three videos by Malian (West Africa) Information about Coumba Sidibe and Wassoulou music, the type of music she is known for are also included in this post.

I'd appreciate it if someone who knows the language used in these examples would identify it and add a brief statement about what these songs are about. (Unfortunately, the only language I know is English.)

Thanks in advance!

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, entertainment, and recreational purposes.

All copyright remains with their owners.

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INFORMATION ABOUT
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Issa_Bagayogo
"Issa Bagayogo (born 1961) is a Malian musician. He has released four full-length albums all under the record label Six Degrees Records. Bagayogo lends his voice and plays the kamele n'goni (a six-stringed West African instrument similar to a banjo)...

Bagayogo blends his native Malian traditions with western pop music and has drawn comparisons to some of the great Malian musicians such as Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabaté.[2]

Sya, originally released in 1998, was the first album released under Six Degrees Records. The second album is titled Timbuktu, after the ancient city in Mali. The album covers issues such as racial tolerance, regional pride, and drug abuse among youths. Bagayogo continues his fusion of his native African style music with electronic beats on this album."

In 2004, Bagayogo released his album called Tassoumakan, which means "voice of fire", followed by Mali Koura in 2008.[2]

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE NGONI
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngoni_(instrument)
"The ngoni or "n'goni" is a string instrument originating in West Africa. Its body is made of wood or calabash with dried animal (often goat) skin head stretched over it. The ngoni, which can produce fast melodies, appears to be closely related to the akonting and the xalam. This is called a jeli ngoni as it is played by griots at celebrations and special occasions in traditional songs called fasas in Mandingo. Another larger type, believed to have originated among the donso, a hunter and storyteller caste of the Wasulu people is called the donso ngoni. This is still largely reserved for ceremonial purposes. The donso ngoni, or "hunter's harp" has six strings. It is often accompanies singing along with the karagnan, a serrated metal tube scraped with a metal stick. The smaller kamale ngoni has entered popular musical styles such as Wassoulou music.

The ngoni is known to have existed since 1352, when Ibn Battuta, a Moroccan traveller reported seeing one in the court of Mansa Musa. It is believed to have evolved into the banjo in North America after Mande slaves were exported there. Battuta also reported the balafon."

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FEATURED EXAMPLES
Video #1: Issa Bagayogo 'Berewonyongo' 'Sayemogo' & ' Toroya' from Roots & Routes 2003 Mali



throbule, Published on Dec 10, 2012

The legendary singer and Ngoni master from Mali with 3 truly magical tracks live!
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Le légendaire chanteur et maître Ngoni du Mali avec 3 pistes vraiment magique vivre!
-snip-
Here's a comment in English from that video's viewer comment thread http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzHbstUEIYc

leftysergeant, 2013
"Wow! There is so much going on here. Mama Sissoko is one of the piuoneers of modern Malian music and he is still going strong. Issa Bagayogo is quite the master of both traditional and modern styles. You have to be well-grounded in formal traditional styles to really make it in anything innovative. These tracks are all great examples of the blending of tradition and innovation. I think we can say the same for the backing vocals."

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Video #2: Issa Bagayogo - 'Kanadianfan' and 'Gnangran' from Roots & Routes 2003 (Mali)



throbule, Published on Dec 9, 2012

The legendary singer and Ngoni master from Mali with 2 truly magical tracks live!
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Le légendaire chanteur et maître Ngoni du Mali avec 2 pistes vraiment magique vivre!

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Thanks to Issa Bagayogo and the other featured performers for their musical legacy. Thanks also to those who are quoted in this post, and those who published this sound file and these videeos on YouTube.

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