Super Biton De Segou

« back super biton de segou - super biton de segou - ltd (deluxe edition) - kindred spirits KSMALI 03 LP - eulp Genre: African - Mali 1. Nyeleni 2. Malamini 3. Saajuru 4. Taasi Doni 5. Yere Jabo 6. Siseni Out of Stock exclusive title EAN-13 Barcode: 8717127022908 Release Sheet 300dpi artwork Limited 180 gram pressing of the new 1977 Kindred Spirits reissue from Mali. Comes in a heavy weight ‘old style’ tip-on card sleeve. Only 500 copies! Of all the Malian orchestras, the mighty Super Biton de Ségou stands tall in the history of Malian modern music. Largely forgotten these days, it still remains one of the oldest and probably one of the best orchestras on the African continent. Like most great orchestras from West Africa, Super Biton have always combined a subtle mix of tradition and modernity, instrumental ease and vocal virtuosity along their scattered and scarce discography. Hailing from Orchestre Régional de Kayes, at the other end of the country, guitar player Mama Sissoko joined the Biton in 1972. He quickly became the main soloist of the band, and paved the way for a music which was both lyrical and sober. They triumphed at the 1974 and 1976 Biennales over the Kanaga de Mopti, Sidi Yassa de Kayes, Mystère Jazz de Tombouctou, Negro Band de Gao and Kénéstar de Sikasso, Mali’s main regional orchestras. By that time, Super Biton were declared Mali’s first ‘national orchestra’. At the height of their power, the Biton had a repertoire of over 200 songs and counted 19 musicians among their ranks. By 1977, they released two consecutive albums under the name Super Biton National de Ségou, lavishly recorded at the fabled Radio Mali studio under the aegis of sound wizard Boubacar Traoré. ‘Nyeleni’ is a devastating number sung by Percé Doumbia, one of the leading voices of the orchestra along with Mamadou ‘Coulou’ Coulibaly, Toussaint Siané and Aboubacar ‘Cubain’ Kissa. Percé sings about the equality of men and women