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| When it comes to African guitar music, Guinea holds a very special place. And when it comes to Guinean guitar music, it doesn’t get much better than the African Virtuoses. Their story goes to the very heart of the emergence of the guitar as a bona fide African instrument i |
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| The Classic Guinean Guitar Group
by African Virtuoses
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Label: Sterns
Date: 2007
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Track List
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| When it comes to African guitar music, Guinea holds a very special place. And when it comes to Guinean guitar music, it doesn’t get much better than the African Virtuoses. Their story goes to the very heart of the emergence of the guitar as a bona fide African instrument in the early era of independence in the 1960s and 70s, and is inextricably linked with one of the most illustrious guitar-playing families in Africa, the four Diabate brothers heard here. These wonderful, rare recordings of various formations of the African Virtuoses, made in Conakry and Abidjan between 1970 and 1983, showcase acoustic African guitar playing at its most intimate and virtuosic.
In the late 1950s, as most African nations were gaining their political independence, Papa Diabate (born in Faranah, Guinea, 1936) was developing a new single-note style of African guitar playing based on using a plectrum rather than the thumb and index finger technique used throughout Africa. Having learned his scales and other European musical techniques at the conservatory of music in Dakar, Papa set about merging those techniques with Guinean music to create an original guitar style that could cut through and help power the brass-based dance orchestras that were on the rise.
He may indeed have been the first of his generation in Guinea to play the electric guitar. Certainly he was the most prominent. The list of electric guitarists who cite him as their inspiration and teacher includes the best that Guinea had to offer in the 1960s and 70s: Manfila Kante, who ended up in Mali co-leading Les Ambassadeurs with vocalist Salif Keita, Sekou “Bembeya” Diabate of Bembeya Jazz (no immediate relation, although they can trace their connection generations back to two brothers), and Papa’s younger brother Sekou “Docteur” Diabate, who was the soloist with Bala et ses Balladins, one of the top Guinean national orchestras.
Although Papa Diabate trained the initial generation of Guinean electric guitarists, he himself rarely recorded commercially in his early years. Diabate was a strong individualist and ultimately did not get along with the Sekou Touré regime in Guinea, the one that installed the extensive network of regional and national orchestras that established Guinea as a leader in government-patronized modern dance music. What may be his first commercial recording, an extraordinary 17-minute acoustic guitar duet made when he was in his mid-30s with his younger brother Sekou “Docteur,” is included as the last track on this CD, and is a true gem. Initially issued on the LP “Discotheque 70”, featuring some of the best music the state Syliphone label had to offer in 1970, this was the first installment of an ensemble that ultimately came to be known as the “African Virtuoses” or “Les Frères Diabate”.
After a few more isolated selections issued on the Syliphone “Discotheque 71” and “Discotheque 72” LPs, Papa Diabate’s recording career was quiet for over two decades. In the late 1990s he was coaxed out of retirement and recorded on the Popular African Music label again (Grand Papa Diabate: Guitar Extra Dry, 1999, Popular African Music PAM AG 703).
The next edition of this group, now called “Virtuoses Diabate”, featured Papa’s younger brothers Sekou “Docteur” (born in Faranah, 1938), Sire (born in Danaba, 1947), and Abdoulaye (born in N’Zerekore, 1953), who moved to Los Angeles in the 1990s. Their first full-length album, “La nouvelle mariée” (The Newlywed) featured the vocals of Sekou’s wife, Nadia Hilal, and a series of extraordinary guitar trios. Issued about 1975 on the Syliphone label, the instrumental “N’Fa” from that LP is included here.
The full flowering of the African Virtuoses concept took place in the early 1980s in Abidjan, the capital of neighboring Côte d’Ivoire. As president Sekou Toure’s regime became increasingly oppressive and Guinea’s economy became more and more dire in the late 1970s, many Guinean musicians moved to Abidjan. Mali had similar economic problems and musicians there made their own trek. Thus Abidjan in the late 1970s was a musical mecca, hosting members of Les Ambassadeurs (including Salif Keita and Manfila Kante), The Rail Band (including guitarist Djelimady Tounkara), and Papa’s younger brothers Sekou “Docteur” and Abdoulaye. It was in Abidjan that the African Virtuoses expanded to its full size with kora (a 21-stringed harp), bass, and percussion.
The African Virtuoses LP recorded in Abidjan and released in 1983 forms the bulk of this CD. With the departure of Sire and addition of Sekou Kouyate (born in Kindia, 1939), who played in the celebrated quintet that accompanied legendary South African vocalist Miriam Makeba when she was living in Guinea in the 1970s, and two other Guineans (accompanying guitarist Honomou Jerome Claver and percussionist Fassou Habass), the quintet was in full form. Here, youngest brother Abdoulaye Diabate displays absolutely stunning technique on lead guitar.
The Diabate brothers are by birth jelis, hereditary professional musicians who trace their lineage back to the founding of the 13th century Mali empire, and are what the early French travelers to the region called griots. The Diabate brothers, however, were not practicing griots in the sense of playing for traditional events and engaging in the art of praise-singing. Their father Sidikiba Diabate (not to be confused with kora player Sidiki Diabate, father of Malian kora player Toumani Diabate) was a renowned musician who pioneered the use of the guitar in Guinea in the 1920s and set the model for them as guitarists. Sidikiba understood how traditional music worked and was entrusted by president Sekou Touré with forming the first national instrumental ensemble of Guinea at the dawn of independence.
The Diabate brothers inherited this ancient tradition, normally played on the kora, balafon (xylophone), and koni (lute), but used the guitar as their vehicle of expression and Papa Diabate is largely credited with bringing this tradition into the modern brass orchestras that flourished after independence. The African Virtuoses pulled the electric guitar back into an acoustic context, but with their own unique style that reflected both the acoustic and electric sensibilities. One can hear strong traces of balafon music as well as the Cuban music that was all the rage. Perhaps due to the French colonial connection, the influence of French gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt seems to loom throughout, especially over soloist Abdoulaye Diabate.
Nanibali opens with a duo guitar introduction followed by Abdoulaye’s rendering of the melody. Sekou Kouyate takes the first solo ending with some nice strumming patterns that lead directly into a solo by Abdoulaye, who comes flying in, eventually scat singing along with his lines. The modulations at the end, to higher and higher keys, are rare in any kind of African music.
Kankan Diarabi (a version of ‘Diarabi’ associated with the Guinean town of Kankan) is one of the most popular love songs in the region, covered by kora players and guitarists alike. After Abdoulaye’s rendition of the melody, Sekou takes the first solo and then moves into a classic Guinean accompaniment pattern of a steady stream of notes, drawn from the playing style of the balafon, that don’t let up. Abdoulaye takes over with another fiery solo followed by more scat singing.
Wouloukoro (previously recorded by Bembeya Jazz) slows the pace down, with fine solos by Abdoulaye and then Sekou.
Hafia features a very Cuban sounding accompaniment pattern (generically called montuno) from Sekou. The ending features a virtuosic duo guitar line with the bass and a striking modulation up a half-step.
Dembati Galant (an early Bembeya Jazz classic) features the fine kora playing of Sekou Kouyate, who plays the melody and continues on to solo. Abdoulaye’s solo is particularly eclectic here, starting out with sparse strumming, then a flurry of sixteenth notes, octaves, single melody notes, flamenco-like strumming, Django-like triplets, and then into an accompaniment pattern for Sekou to take over.
Madame Nana slows the pace down a bit with some nice ensemble breaks.
Toubaka is another 20th century Guinean favorite that has enjoyed widespread circulation (including a version sung by Salif Keita with Les Ambassadeurs). The unique four-chord pattern has challenged several generations of guitarists. Following his solo and an ensemble break, Abdoulaye plays one of those trademark Guinean non-stop accompaniment patterns that subtly winds it way though the chord changes while Sekou solos.
N'fa (“My Father”), a Sire Diabate composition dedicated to the Diabate patriarch, has a haunting thick texture built on a very deliberately arpeggiated guitar foundation. Although difficult to distinguish here, it appears that Sekou “Docteur” takes the lead at first and then hands off to Abdoulaye about midway through. Near the end, Abdoulaye’s descending chromatic patterns break the mould of African guitar playing.
Ballade Sur La Lagune has an unusual electric guitar introduction followed by Sekou with the melody.
Solo Virtuose, recorded 1970, features the two older brothers in a most intimate setting. Papa plays lead backed by Sekou playing clear arpeggios or bass lines throughout. Papa does not display the kind of speed that marks younger brother Abdoulaye, but rather specializes in an intensely personal and very deliberate melodic sensibility.
Eric Charry
1. Nanibali 5:59
(trad.arr: Sekou Kouyate)
2. Kankan Diarabi 6:00
(trad.arr: Sekou Diabate)
3. Wouloukoro 4:29
(trad.arr: Fassou Habass)
4. Hafia 4:51
(trad.arr: Honomou J.Claver)
5. Dembati Galant 5:39
(trad.arr: Sekou Kouyate)
6. Madame Nana 4:18
(trad.arr: Sekou Diabate)
7. Toubaka 4:46
(trad.arr: Abdoulaye Diabate)
8. N’fa 6:38
(Sire Diabate)
9. Ballade Sur La Lagune 5:03
(trad.arr: Abdoulaye Diabate)
10. Solo Virtuose 16:49
(trad.arr: Sekou Diabate)
tracks 1 – 7 & 9:
Sekou “Docteur” Diabate – bass guitar
Abdoulaye Diabate – lead guitar
Sekou Kouyate - guitar, kora
Honomou Jerome Claver – rhythm guitar
Fassou Habass - percussion
Pierre Houon – congas
from: African Virtuoses ‘African Virtuoses’ (P) 1983
recorded: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
track 8
Sekou “Docteur” Diabate - guitar
Abdoulaye Diabate - guitar
Sire Diabate - guitar
(unidentified) – bass
from: Virtuoses Diabate ‘La Nouvelle Mariée’ (P) 1975
recorded: Conakry, Guinea
track 10
Papa Diabate - lead guitar
Sekou “Docteur” Diabate – guitar
from: ‘Discotheque’ 70’ (P) 1972
recorded: Conakry, Guinea |
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