Mali Jam

Jam session in Bamako

Paris 

22/02/2006 - 

On 23 December 2004, the French Cultural Centre in Bamako hosted a special one-off concert, bringing together a host of Malian music stars from across the generations. Those who weren’t lucky enough to attend the actual event can now enjoy the jam session on a live recording: Mali Jam

The best Christmas present of 2004? The best of Malian music, of course! And that’s just what Bamako’s inhabitants and passing tourist fans were served up at the French cultural centre in Bamako the night before Christmas Eve. It was Habib Koite who came up with the bright idea of bringing together living legends and up-and-coming talents from Mali’s music scene. And their special one-off performance reflected the incredible diversity of Malian music, ranging across the country’s different regions and traditions. The concert takes listeners on a magical musical tour up the river Niger with blues guitar from Djelimadi Tounkara, then back down to Sikasso with Keletigui Diabete’s balafon. After that, the haunting sound of Zoumania Tereta’s sokou wends its way across Mali’s vast expanses, taking us up north, right to the edge of the desert.

On Mali Jam the country’s veteran music stars open up inspiring instrumental dialogues with representatives of the young generation who rise to the occasion in style. Apart from Ali Dembele and Bassekou on bass guitar and Vieux Kante on the ngoni, the outstanding highlight of these one-off collaborations, marked with real complicity and respect, has to be Keletigui Diabete and Habib Koite’s duo on balafon and guitar. On the song Signana, a musical gem of Mandingo tradition, the female griot Djenaba Seck heaps praise on each of the musicians who answer her with the most extraordinary solos. Historic!

Mali Jam (Syllart/Rue Stendahl) 2006

Eglantine  Chabasseur