Post by Ms. Kathy on Apr 30, 2007 10:39:01 GMT -6
Article published Apr 27, 2007
Africa's golden voice
Source Link: The Daily Advertiser - www.theadvertiser.com - Lafayette, LA www.acadiananow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070427/ENTERTAINMENT/70426041/1040
Herman Fuselier
hfuselier@theadvertiser.com
One person in 17,000 in the United States has albinism, according to a national support group. The condition describes people with little or no pigment in their eyes, skin or hair.
Some may have eye and skin sensitivity problems. But in parts of Africa, where albinos are considered bad luck, a person with the condition can face extreme prejudice and superstition.
Albino babies have been abandoned at birth or slaughtered in ritual sacrifice. Some Africans claim they grow ill in their presence.
In his native Mali, Salif Keita, who has albinism, went to college to become a teacher in the late 1960s. But a day before he was set to graduate, Keita was told he would not receive a diploma.
“They said the children would be too afraid of me because of my skin color,” Keita said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
“But at the same time, they were happy to hire real whites as teachers.”
Few are afraid of Keita today as he reigns as one of the world’s most renown singers. Keita and his legendary afro-pop sound close Festival International at 6:15 p.m. Sunday.
Known as “Africa’s Golden Voice,” Keita is regarded as one of the world’s most influential artists. In January, 2003, PopMatters said of Keita’s Moffou CD, “No music more lovely was released last year.”
BBC Radio named Keita’s M’Bemba disc as its 2006 Album of the Year. Reviewer Ian Anderson said the CD was “among the best records he’s ever made.”
Born in 1949, Keita can trace his ancestry back to Soundjata Keita, who founded Mali in 1240. Yet his albinism made him anything but revered in early life.
Keita caused further unrest in the 1960s when he became a musician, a position considered beneath a member of Mali’s Royal Family.
After he was expelled from school, Keita formed a trio that performed in the streets and clubs of Mali’s capitol city, Bamako. In the 1970s, Keita and music mate Kante Manfila from the Rail Band formed Les Ambassadeurs, a group that gained huge followings throughout Mali and surrounding nations.
In 1978, the president of Guinea named Keita Minister for Music and Culture, based on his enormous popularity.
Keita began his solo career in the 1980s with recordings that included his classic Soro album, which fused traditional Malian music with modern technology.
The album combined Keita’s influences of African, jazz, funk, Europop and R&B.
The Amen album of 1991, which included appearances by Carlos Santana, Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul, established Keita as the first African band leader to win a Grammy nomination.
Official web site for Salif Keita: salifkeita.artistes.universalmusic.fr/
Afriacan Music.org africanmusic.org/artists/salif.html
Wikipedia article : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salif_Keita1996
Interview in Roots World: www.rootsworld.com/rw/feature/keita2.htmlWorld Music www.worldmusiccentral.org/artists/artist_page.php?id=1105
Artist Direct: www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/card/0,,452224,00.html
Africa 2015: www.africa2015.org/artistsbios.html
BBC - Awards for World Music 2006 - Salif Keita: www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/worldmusic/a4wm2006/a4wm_salif_album.shtml
Salif Keita Global Foundation Helathcare andd Eduaction fo Albinos: www.salifkeita.org/
AfroPop Worldwide: www.afropop.org/explore/artist_info/ID/41/Salif%20Keita/
The Phoenix: thephoenix.com/article_ektid36815.aspx
Albinism in Pop Culture: www.lunaeterna.net/popcult/salif.htm
The Leopard Man's African Music Guide www.leopardmannen.no/k/keita.salif.asp
Global Trance: www.global-trance.co.uk/fr_index.html?/Salif_Keita.html
Africa's golden voice
Source Link: The Daily Advertiser - www.theadvertiser.com - Lafayette, LA www.acadiananow.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070427/ENTERTAINMENT/70426041/1040
Herman Fuselier
hfuselier@theadvertiser.com
One person in 17,000 in the United States has albinism, according to a national support group. The condition describes people with little or no pigment in their eyes, skin or hair.
Some may have eye and skin sensitivity problems. But in parts of Africa, where albinos are considered bad luck, a person with the condition can face extreme prejudice and superstition.
Albino babies have been abandoned at birth or slaughtered in ritual sacrifice. Some Africans claim they grow ill in their presence.
In his native Mali, Salif Keita, who has albinism, went to college to become a teacher in the late 1960s. But a day before he was set to graduate, Keita was told he would not receive a diploma.
“They said the children would be too afraid of me because of my skin color,” Keita said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.
“But at the same time, they were happy to hire real whites as teachers.”
Few are afraid of Keita today as he reigns as one of the world’s most renown singers. Keita and his legendary afro-pop sound close Festival International at 6:15 p.m. Sunday.
Known as “Africa’s Golden Voice,” Keita is regarded as one of the world’s most influential artists. In January, 2003, PopMatters said of Keita’s Moffou CD, “No music more lovely was released last year.”
BBC Radio named Keita’s M’Bemba disc as its 2006 Album of the Year. Reviewer Ian Anderson said the CD was “among the best records he’s ever made.”
Born in 1949, Keita can trace his ancestry back to Soundjata Keita, who founded Mali in 1240. Yet his albinism made him anything but revered in early life.
Keita caused further unrest in the 1960s when he became a musician, a position considered beneath a member of Mali’s Royal Family.
After he was expelled from school, Keita formed a trio that performed in the streets and clubs of Mali’s capitol city, Bamako. In the 1970s, Keita and music mate Kante Manfila from the Rail Band formed Les Ambassadeurs, a group that gained huge followings throughout Mali and surrounding nations.
In 1978, the president of Guinea named Keita Minister for Music and Culture, based on his enormous popularity.
Keita began his solo career in the 1980s with recordings that included his classic Soro album, which fused traditional Malian music with modern technology.
The album combined Keita’s influences of African, jazz, funk, Europop and R&B.
The Amen album of 1991, which included appearances by Carlos Santana, Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul, established Keita as the first African band leader to win a Grammy nomination.
Official web site for Salif Keita: salifkeita.artistes.universalmusic.fr/
Afriacan Music.org africanmusic.org/artists/salif.html
Wikipedia article : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salif_Keita1996
Interview in Roots World: www.rootsworld.com/rw/feature/keita2.htmlWorld Music www.worldmusiccentral.org/artists/artist_page.php?id=1105
Artist Direct: www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/card/0,,452224,00.html
Africa 2015: www.africa2015.org/artistsbios.html
BBC - Awards for World Music 2006 - Salif Keita: www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/worldmusic/a4wm2006/a4wm_salif_album.shtml
Salif Keita Global Foundation Helathcare andd Eduaction fo Albinos: www.salifkeita.org/
AfroPop Worldwide: www.afropop.org/explore/artist_info/ID/41/Salif%20Keita/
The Phoenix: thephoenix.com/article_ektid36815.aspx
Albinism in Pop Culture: www.lunaeterna.net/popcult/salif.htm
The Leopard Man's African Music Guide www.leopardmannen.no/k/keita.salif.asp
Global Trance: www.global-trance.co.uk/fr_index.html?/Salif_Keita.html