Djitoumou by Idrissa Soumaoro

2010 | Pop

Idrissa Soumaoro is a Knight of the National Order of Mali, in recognition of his services to music, yet at over sixty years of age has only released two albums. His early career embraced membership of Les Ambassadeurs alongside Manfila Kanté and Salif Keita, mentoring Amadou Bagayoko (of Amadou & Mariam) and playing with Ali Farka Toure. He wrote one of Africa s most famous songs Ancien Combattant (War Veteran), but did not earn royalties as he had not copyrighted the song. His primary concern however was not writing or performing, but teaching - particularly teaching music to blind children - which he has done for forty years at the expense of a musical career. It is for this that Idrissa has been honoured. In 2003 he recorded an album for Wrasse, which won him the Radio France Decouverte (Discovery) award, and at last international fame beckoned, but it has taken Idrissa seven years to release a follow-up album. Djitoumou is an inventive album whose influences range beyond Mandingo blues to Congolese rumba, Arabic music, folk and country. Produced by the legendary Ibrahima Sylla at Studio Bogolan in Bamako, it features guest appearances by Ali Farka Toure and Kandia Kouyate, plus Congo rumba veteran Papa Noel on guitar. As well as singing, in his rich, mellifluous tenor voice, Idrissa plays kamele n goni and wrote all the songs.

Idrissa Soumaoro (Artist/Musician)