Kemo Kouyate
Biographical Information
Born: Guinea
References
Charry, Eric. 2000. Mande Music: Traditional and Modern Music of the Maninka and Mandinka of Western Africa. Chicago; London: University of Chicago Press.
p. 257
Orchestre du Jardin de Guinée was led by trumpeter Balla Onivogui and came to be known as Balla et Ses Balladins. "Soba" Manfila Kante, a fine acoustic guitarist, was the main vocalist, and Sekou "Docteur" Diabate was the guitar soloist. In the late 1960s multi-instrumentalist Kemo Kouyate joined the group on guitar.19
19. In the early 1970s a small group known as the Guinean Quintet, including Keletigui [et Ses Tambourinis] members Kemo Kouyate and percussionist Papa Kouyate, recorded and toured with South African vocalist Miriyam Makeba (see appendix D, Syliphone SLP 22).
p. 264-5
23. An excellent, almost textbook survey of this classic era of modern Guinean music by the group Kouyate et Kouyate (1990-disc) covers some of the great Syliphone recordings of Bembeya Jazz, Horoya Band, Keletigui et Ses Tambourinis, Balla et Ses Balladins, Camayenne Sofa, and Sory Kandia Kouyate (1970-disc, 1971-disc). Although the sound is updated, the singing and arrangements are faithful to the originals. Kemo Kouyate's guitar solo on Sara (Kouyate et Kouyate 1990-disc) is remarkably similar to his solo on Sara 70 recorded with Balla et Ses Balladins (1993-disc/Guinea Compliations 1971-disc) almost two decades earlier. (Early printings of the notes to Balla et Ses Balladins 1993-disc were mistaken about Famoro Kouyate's playing the solo on Sara 70.) Equally remarkable is the way guitarist Zoumana Diarra pays homage to Kemo's solo (all but reproducing it) on Wentere, a piece sung by Adama Diabate (1995-disc) in praise of Mali's great artists, including Sira Mori Diabate, composer of Sara.
p. 295
In Guinea there is a special relation between the bala and the guitar. Many guitar players started out on the bala, and many bala players also play the guitar. Some musicians, such as Ibrahima Soumano, Kemo Kouyate, and Keletigui Diabate, have even recorded on both instruments.
Discography
[No Pieces Indexed]
· kairad; jawurad; lamban/sandiad; mamayad/s; tutu jara/bajurud
· kairad; jawurad; lamban/sandiad; tutu jara/bajurud