Tuesday, November 7, 2017

SENEGAL – SÉNÉGAL - Lalo Keba Drame - Lalo Keba Drame et sa Cora – N’DARDISC 33-13

SENEGAL – SÉNÉGAL
Lalo Keba Drame - Lalo Keba Drame et sa Cora – N’DARDISC 33-13 (LP)
(1926-1974)

Kora music from Senegal

Kora music from Senegal

Kora music from Senegal

Kora music from Senegal
A beautiful solo recording from the highly revered Kora virtuoso, in Sénégal and beyond. Lalo Keba Drame had the singularity of humming along with his playing in a manner similar to the classical pianist Glen Gould.

Monsieur Bellot, a Guinean-Senagalese record store owner, also sold records at the Clignancourt flea market in Paris where I would visit him on weekends in the early 1990s. He was instrumental in my introduction to many great African musics, as well as Cuban Charanga. All of the African music aficionados I’ve met know this friendly, passionate music lover, who always took the time to share his great knowledge of music, musicians and the environment which nurtured the musics. He also produced a string of excellent traditional and modern LPs and Cassettes under various labels (Soundioulou Cissokho et Maa Hawa Kouyaté, Laba Sosseh, Star Number One, Les Ballets Africains, etc.), including this Mandingo gem. He's at the very heart of the Cuban-African connection.
I’m happy to see that this album, essential to African music collections, can now be purchased online via digital download. I therefore post only a single track from the LP for the purpose of discovery.

Un magnifique enregistrement solo de ce virtuose de la Kora vénéré au Sénégal et bien au-delà. Keba Drame avait la particularité de fredonner pendant qu'il jouait son instrument un peu à la manière du pianiste classique Glen Gould.

Monsieur Gueye-Bellot, à la tête d'un magasin de disques à Paris, vendait également des disques au marché aux puces de Clignancourt où j'allais souvent le voir le week-end. Au début des années 1990, ce Guinéen-Sénégalais joua un rôle déterminant dans ma découverte de grandes musiques africaines et de charanga cubaine. Tous les passionnés de musique africaine connaissent ce sympathique personnage, qui prenait toujours le temps de partager sa passion et sa grande connaissance de la musique, son histoire, son environnement, ainsi que des anecdotes sur des musiciens. Il a également produit une série d'excellents albums traditionnels et modernes (Soundioulou Cissokho et Maa Hawa Kouyaté, Laba Sosseh, Star Number One, Les Ballets Africains…), ainsi que ce joyau Mandingue. Monsieur Bellot est au coeur même de la Cuban-African connection.

Je suis ravi de constater que cet album incontournable peut maintenant être acheté en ligne par téléchargement. Je vais ainsi ne poster qu'un seul morceau du disque uniquement à des fins de découverte.
Download

4 comments:

  1. What a beautiful track, I wish I could hear the other also...

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    Replies
    1. I keep listening to it in looping mode

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    2. It's a wonderful track indeed. Since the album is available for digital download I think it would be worthwhile to purchase it.
      Thanks for your enthusiasm.
      MusicRepublic

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  2. Just learned of your blog. So much great music, excellent photos of the covers and records. I respect your pointing out when a recording is currently available. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete