Album review

Mamadou Diabate

Douga Mansa

Paris 

16/10/2008 - 

On his fourth album, Douga Mansa (The King's Vulture), Mali's young kora virtuoso Mamadou Diabate reworks a series of traditional melodies from the former kingdom of Gabù (Guinea Bissau, Casamance, Gambia).

The Malian korafola (kora-player) Mamadou Diabate is renowned for building a complex wall of sound out of his 21-stringed harp-lute. On his latest offering, the entirely instrumental Douga Mansa, Diabaté embarks listeners on a journey through time and space, taking us back to the glory days of the kingdom of Gabù. The album's title track is actually a cover of the great Manding classic Douga, an ancient anthem celebrating the bravery of Manding warriors which was traditionally played before going into battle. The song was immortalised in the 1970s by Kouyaté Sory Kandia, a Guinean singer famous for his seven-octave range.

Mamadou Diabate has also chosen to rework another Kouyaté Sory Kandia classic Toutou Diarra, a song paying tribute to the legendary Bambara king of the Diarra dynasty. (Kouyaté Sory Kandia scored his first hit with the song as part of Les Ballets Africains). Mamadou Diabaté, a cousin of the world-famous kora-player Toumani Diabate, plays the majority of tracks on Douga Mansa in the classical style. Those looking for the secret of his originality will find it in the korafola's extraordinary creative and physical dexterity. In Diabaté's hands, the kora seems capable of infinite variation, ranging from delicate melodies and swirling 'glissandi' to roaring cascades of arpeggio. Mamadou Diabate's talent is at its expressive best on stand-out tracks such as Bi Allah Laké and Diyabarana.

Mamadou Diabate, who now lives and works in the United States, was nominated for a Grammy Award (for his second album, Behmanka) in 2007. He has enjoyed a highly successful career in the U.S. to date working with a broad range of artists from other genres (including Angélique Kidjo, Amy Koïta, Donald Byrd, Randy Weston, Thomas Mapfumo, Eric Bibb, Guy Davis and Ben Allison). Throughout his career, Diabaté has meditated on a piece of advice handed down to him by his father, Mamadou Djelimory (aka N’fa Diabate, who played kora with the Instrumental Ensemble of Mali). "Listen to virtuosos from across the Manding Empire, respect the great classics and develop your own technique."

Mamadou Diabate has clearly taken this maxim to heart and, while he may not have displayed his cousin Toumani's capacity for revolutionising the art of kora-playing, he has established himself as a fine upholder of tradition. 

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 Listen to an extract from Douga Mansa

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Mamadou Diabaté Douga Mansa (World village) 2008

Sylvie  Clerfeuille

Translation : Julie  Street