News & Reviews
- Friday, January 18, 2013
Watch: Fatoumata Diawara Gathers Malian Artists As Voices United for Mali to Record Song for Peace
In response to the current situation in Mali, Fatoumata Diawara has gathered together over 40 of Mali’s most renowned musicians in a studio in Bamako to record a song and video calling for peace titled "Mali-ko" (Peace / La Paix). Known collectively as Voices United for Mali, the group includes Amadou & Mariam, Oumou Sangare, Toumani Diabate, Afel Bocoum, Bassekou Kouyate, Vieux Farka Toure, and others. Watch the video and read the lyrics and their translation here.
- Monday, September 10, 2012
Emmylou Harris, Rokia Traoré, Fatoumata Diawara, Oumou Sangare Support "Half the Sky" With Free Downloads
Emmylou Harris, Rokia Traoré, Fatoumata Diawara, and Oumou Sangare are participating in 30 songs / 30 days, in which female musicians from around the world have come together to support the Half the Sky movement. Through the 30 songs / 30 days project, one song per day is available to download for the month of September and leading up to the October 1 & 2 premiere of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, a four-hour PBS documentary inspired by the widely acclaimed book of the same name by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.
About this Album
‘Worotan’ is the third album from Malian singer Oumou Sangare. Recorded in the U.K. following extensive touring in Europe, the U.S. and Africa, ‘Worotan’ has already been hailed in Europe as well as in West Africa as her finest album.
Developing the Wassoulou sound that made her famous, with its inherent groove, call and response vocals and Celtic/Chinese sounding themes, this recording captures the energy of Oumou’s renowned live performances.
Her maturing talents as a composer are reflected with an impressive variety of instrumentation, rhythm and mood, moving from the sparse traditional ‘Kun Fê Ko’, through the horn-riffing funk of ‘Baba’, the long-time concert favourite ‘Fantan Ni Mônè’, the percussion-led ‘N’Diya Ni’ to the exquisite ballad ‘Djôrôlen’ featuring Nitin Sawhney on Spanish guitar. Alongside her regular band, Oumou has added the brilliant young guitarist Baba Salah, Basidi Keita on djembe drum and Abdouleye Fofana on flute, and on four tracks she has invited a horn section led by Pee Wee Ellis (James Brown, Van Morrison).
OUMOU SANGARE SPEAKING ON WOMEN AND MUSIC
“I speak of the women of Africa and of the whole world. I fight for the improvement of women’s situation, because African women do not have as many rights as men. It is the African woman who is responsible for the house, the children, everything. But if that woman wants to speak in the society, she is not listened to. So I sing her cause. I have sung and sung against polygamy and the injustice of men. This is very strong, because music is very seriously listened to in Africa. Especially if you are a bit successful you can really get your message across to everyone, because music is respected.”
