Mory Kanté: strong emotion after the death of the "electric griot"

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Tears and mourning, at the home of the deceased musician. The tenors of Guinean music followed one another this Friday to offer their condolences to the family.

Publicity

One by one enter the concession the biggest names in Guinean music, testifies our correspondent to Conakry Carol Valade. Starting with Dean Sékou Diabaté, the guitarist and leader of the legendary Bembeya orchestra. “  The work that has been done has been really well done. Musically, he has merit, he has a voice.  "

The key to such success? Melt traditional melodies into modern rhythms, according to Téné Kaba, music journalist. “  He was the one who imposed himself to promote this culture which is the Guinean culture, which is the Guinean tradition, but he mixed it with other rhythms.  "

The name of Mory Kanté, like his songs, fills the hearts of Guineans with pride . For singer Sayon Bamba, he is the one who carried his culture beyond borders. “  Mory Kanté made us proud internationally, he went everywhere. Me, every time I went to a festival in Europe, Mory Kanté had already been there 20 years before. And they said to me: “Do you know Mory Kanté?”, And I replied: “But how? Who does not know Mory Kanté? ”.  "

"  All human life is an unfinished symphony  ," said the former minister and close to the late Justin Morel Junior, on national television, which dedicated this Friday a large part of his newspaper to Mory Kanté.

Shared emotion in Mali

Guinean by origin, Mory Kanté launched his career in the neighboring country, in Mali, reports our correspondent in Bamako, Coralie Pierret. First singer in weddings at the start of his career, he joined the Rail Band, a famous Malian orchestra in the early 1970s. He sings alongside Salif Keita and guitarist Djélimady Tounkara. The latter, who remains very close to Mory Kanté, pays a last tribute to the legendary Guinean singer .

“  It was my mother who gave the song“ Wale Numa Lombaliya ”, and that song, we worked on it, we made it modern. We have been everywhere, in Nigeria, in Guinea, in Guinea-Bissau, with these rhythms, between 1973 and 1976.  ”This is the title which undoubtedly marked the beginning of the young career of Mory Kanté and his friend d childhood Djélimady Tounkara. 

Surrounded by his family when he learned of the death of his friend Friday morning, Djélimady Tounkara rehearsed on the guitar Soundiata, another hit from the Rail Band, which sounds like a last tribute to singer Mory Kanté.

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