Title Songs |
Famous performers |
| Abdou N'DiayeThis song is dedicated to Abdou Ndiaye (1850 ? -1925).
Abdou Ndiaye was a Muslim trader, a trader quickly especially in the slave trade, initially installed at Bougouli in the Middle Casamance ; then, he fought local tribes in the Portuguese army as a "regulo" (regular mercenary) and later became a petty king of the Woy area in N'Gabu... Read more. |
Balla Tounkara
Balla Tounkara is a korafolá and a singer, Balla exhibiting great virtuosity walking on the steps of perfect Manding kora old style... Read more. - MBady Kouyaté |
| Alfa YayaAlfa Yaya is a panegyric song is devoted to Alfa Yaya Diallo, a famous king of Fula people from Fouta (Guinea) at the end of XIX° century... Read more. (Beh Mankan) |
Jali Nyama Susso
Jali Nyama Suso was a very great korafolá who has been world wide famous in the 1970s... Read more. |
| Allah La Ke« Alla La Ke » is one of the most famous songs of old Manding music tradition... Read more. |
Alhaj Bai KontehAlhaji Bai Konté was a korafolá very famous in Gambia, like Jali Nyama Suso, thus less world popular... Read more. - Batourou Sekou KouyateBatrou Sekou Kouyate was a very great korafolá from Mali. After the independence of Mali (1960), he took part in the foundation of the Instrumental Ensemble of Mali, one of the first African national acoustic band... Read more. |
| AsumkaThis song is dedicated to Mademba Seye, Fama (king) of Sansanding in 1891... Read more. (Assumba) |
Batourou Sekou Kouyate |
| Balakononinfing« Balakononinfing » (The Little Black Bird of the River Banks) is a praising song belonging to the cycle of the Epics of the Manden Hunters... Read more. |
Salif Keita
Very great artist from Mali, Salif Keita has so much contributed to large spreading of African world music all around the world... Read more. (Rail Band) - Mory KantéIt is not worth to introduce today anymore Mory Kante, the electric griot, so famous world wide, coming from Guinea. Revealed to the public by its planetary tube... Read more. |
| Bamba BodianThis song (Bamba Bodian) was composed in honour of Alhaji Bamba Bodian or Ledjè, a wealthy merchant of the XIX century, king of Brikama (Gambia) who was also a generous patron (djatigui) for the griots of Gambia. .. Read more. (Ledjè) |
Lalo Keba DrameLalo Keba Drame was a famous korafolá. He became famous for adaptating to kora the Djembeseng... Read more. - Dawda Jobarteh |
| Bani tells about the war leaded by Fula Moslems against the pagan kingdom of N'Kaabu, and more precisely the beginning of this war started at the end of the XIX° century, the so-callled war of Manda... Read more.Bani (Sanou) |
Soriba Kouyate |
| Badenya«Badenya» is a call to unity of brothers («Den» : chidren) born of the same mother («Ba» : mother)... |
Farafina - Kémo Condé |
| Bakary Djan« Bakary Jan » is the eponymous narrative devoted to a great general of Segou (Mali), named Bakary Sidiki Dangana Koné alias « Jan » (the Great). That epics is deeply linked to the city of Segou, belonging to the epics cycle of Bamabara Empire of Segou such as the epic songs « Duga », « Tutu Diarra », and « Jonkoloni » (Dionkoloni)... Read more. (Juru nani) |
Bassekou Kouyaté - Fanta Damba (EINM) |
| Bandian« Bandian » is a song devoted to Bandian Sidibé. Bandian Sidibé was a great ivory sculptor in Kankan (Guinea), friend of young people and griots, who died suddenly in 1947. ... Read more. |
Balla et ses balladins |
| BolobaBoloba is a founding song from Manding areas, one of the « the first hymn of the Manding, played in honor of the brave ones, and those who are been gratified to the dignity of chiefs and great hunters » ... Read more. |
El Hadj Djéli Sory Kouyaté - Lansiné Kouyaté |
| Coura MbissaneCoura Mbissanne is the nickname that Lalo Keba Drame gifted to his favorite wife, Rokhaya Dieng... Read more. |
Lalo Keba DrameLalo Keba Drame was a famous korafolá. He became famous for adaptating to kora the Djembeseng... Read more. |
| CheriCheri (Lil Darling) is not, properly talking, a "traditional" or epic song ; but it was rather a popular folksong "in the mood" in Guinea near the 1960s... Read more. |
Baaba MaalInternationally famous during the Peter Gabriel worldwide tour, Baaba Maal, coming from Senegal, succeeded to prove his talent and became notorious with his band “Daande Lenol”... Read more. - Toumani Diabate Toumani Diabaté is the son of the legendary korafolá Sidiki Diabaté .Virtuoso korafolá, Toumani Diabate has much contributed to make known the kora... Read more. |
| Dakan«Dakan» means «Destiny, great topic of Malinkés... Read more. |
Djeli Moussa Diawara |
| Denko« Denko » is a very popular song in Mandingo countries. In that song, a lullaby-like, singers use to tell about the joys, the blessing (Densoro), worries and misfortunes of motherhood... Read more. |
Kerfala Kante Kerfala Kante is a Guinean singer and guitarist, coming from a great and old jèlílu line, near Faranah area. He began his musical career in 1992, at Conakry ; he became famous for his modern mixed tunes and creations... Read more. |
| DiarabiDiarabi is a very famous popular song in West Africa, is about passion... Read more. (Tita) |
Ali Farka Touré - Moriba Koïta Moriba Koita is a very great
n'konifála, native of Kita (Mali) - the cradle of jelilu great dynasties, very famous in his country and all around the world... Read more. |
| DiakhaDiakha is a song dedicated to the holy city of the same name founded in the fifteenth century by El Hadj Salim Souare said Diakha Laye or Mbemba Laye ... Read more. (Jaka - Mansa Kele) |
Lamine Konté - Sourakata Koite |
| Diaoura« Diaoura » comes from Mali, exactly from the Kita area.
It is a dance rythm from Kita, which has been created at djembé the adapted on balafon and kora... Read more. |
Djelimady TounkaraCo-founder and guitar leader of the Super Rail Band of Bamako, the mythical band that have initiated all the now electric Manding musics... Read more. |
| DonsokeDonsoke (The Hunter) is a moral tale that belongs to the cycle of Epics Hunters of the Manding and it is in a way, a Manding version of the Odipus myth... Read more. |
Bako Dagnon |
| DugaDuga is the Song of the Vulture, the symbol of the epic hero in the Manding. Duga is a song very popular in the countries of Manding... Read more. |
Sory Kandia Kouyate - Mama Sissoko |
| Ecoli Karamoko |
Kante Manfila |
| FamadenkeLitterally, « Famadenkè » means « Son (denkè) of [War] Chief (fama)». This song was composed in honour of the son of Samory Toure... Read more. |
Bembeya JazzThe Bembeya Jazz National was a great Manding orchestra, very famous in Guinea and in all West Africa... Read more. - Mangala |
| FantaThis song was composed in the 1960s in honor of a very beautiful woman named Fanta Djabi... Read more. |
Jali Nyama Susso
Jali Nyama Suso was a very great korafolá who has been world wide famous in the 1970s... Read more. |
| Fissiri Wale«Fissiri Wale» is a famous Manding folksong ; it means : the miserable (« fissiri ») ungrateful man (« wale »)... Read more. |
Mama Sissoko - Alpha Yaya Diallo |
| Foday KabaFoday Kaba is a panegyric song is devoted to Kaba Doumbouya (1818-1901), a diakhanke marabout... Read more. |
Mamadou Drame - MBady Kouyaté |
| Hama BâThat song had been composed in honour of Maba Diakhou Ba alias « Hama Ba Jata » (1809~1867), a marabout from the Rip, and a disciple of the Oumar Tall from Tijaniyya sufi brotherhood. He became leader (Almamy) of Saloum... Read more. (Mansa Kele) |
Amadu Bansang Jobarteh - Lalo Keba DrameLalo Keba Drame was a famous korafolá. He became famous for adaptating to kora the Djembeseng... Read more. |
| Gansana« Gan sana » means « Every thing has a price ». That folksong from Mali is an occasion to tell sentences like « Nothing comes from nowhere », « the griots don't sing for free », and so on... Read more. |
Salif Keita (Rail Band) - Madou Sidiki Diabate |
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| JanjonLegends tell that «Janjon» was (nick?) name of a sorcerer chaman like with great surnatural powers in the very early times of the Manding... Read more. |
Sory Kandia Kouyate |
| (Nteri) JatoNteri Jato is a popular song from Gambia celebrating friendship and hospitality in different countries... Read more. |
Alhaj Bai Konte - Lalo Keba DrameLalo Keba Drame, born in Gambia, was a famous korafolá. He became famous for adaptating to kora the Djembeseng (very dancing rhythm created by djembe druming), creating a revolution in the kora music... Read more. |
| Jimbaseng(o)« Jimbasengo » is a recent composition and had been a great favourite among the young korafolálu. It is really an arrangement of an older tune called Sira Ba Bolo... Read more. |
Jali Nyama Susso
Jali Nyama Suso was a very great korafolá who has been world wide famous in the 1970s... Read more. - Morikeba Kouyaté |
| Jonkoloni« Jonkoloni » is an epic narrative belonging to the epics cycle of Segou such as the epic songs « Duga », « Tutu Diarra » and « Bakary Djan » (Juru nani)... Read more. |
Bassekou Kouyaté |
| Jula Jekere« Jula Jekere » tells the story of a wealthy trader called Jekereh Bayo also nicknamed « Jula Jekere » who as a flamboyant gesture, decided to celebrate Aïd El Kabir (Tobaski), ten days later than usual... Read more. |
Jali Nyama SussoJali Nyama Suso was a very great korafolá who has been world wide famous in the 1970s... Read more. - Amadu Bansang Jobarteh |
| Julu Kara Nayni«Julu Kara Nayni» is a song telling about Alexander the Great and Soundjata... Read more. |
Sidiki Diabate - Bassekou KouyatéInheritance is the best source of inspiration and Bassekou Kouyate drank to limpid sources. Born in 1966 in Garana, his father Mustapha Kouyate was the best ngonifola of the region... Read more. |
| KairaDuring the years 1940 and 1950, when the movement for independence started, «Kaira» was the name adopted by the association of the young jelis of the city Kita... Read more about. |
Kassé Mady Diabate - Toumani DiabateToumani Diabaté is the son of the legendary korafolá Sidiki Diabaté .Virtuoso korafolá, Toumani Diabate has much contributed to make known the kora... Read more. |
| KalaIn the beginning, Kala was an old rhythm and a dance coming from Guinea, according to eldest traditionalist, precisely from the Faranah area. That rhythm was a part Soli (rhythms played in ritual circoncision celebrations). It was created on balafon, then adapted to ngnoi, then to kora...More about. |
Sourakata Koite - Toumani DiabateToumani Diabaté is the son of the legendary korafolá Sidiki Diabaté .Virtuoso korafolá, Toumani Diabate has much contributed to make known the kora... Read more. |
| Kana Kassi |
Soriba Kouyate - Kaouding Cissoko |
| KedoKedo is a song was composed near 1865 after the war of the Moslim Fula people versus the pagan kingdom of N'Kaabu... (Thiedo) |
Jali Nyama SussoJali Nyama Suso was a very great korafolá who has been world wide famous in the 1970s... Read more. - Farafina |
| Keme BouremaThis song tells about Fabou (Faboli) Daboloba Toure, so-called Keme Birama who was the younger brother of Samory Toure... Read more. (Sory) |
Sory Kandia Kouyate - Mandekalou |
| Kelefa Ba This song evokes the old conflict between Manding and Fula ethnies and this conflict has increased since the end of XIX° century and ended to bloody wars... (Kelemagni) |
Jali Nyama Susso
Jali Nyama Suso was a very great korafolá who has been world wide famous in the 1970s... Read more. - Mangala |
| Kuruntu KelefaLitterally, « Kuruntu Kelefa » means « Kelefa trailed on his chariot ». History said that the horses of Kelefa Saneh, to which that song is devoted, were trained to move to the trot on the rhythm of that song... Read more. |
Jali Nyama Susso
Jali Nyama Suso was a very great korafolá who has been world wide famous in the 1970s... Read more. - Foday Musa Suso |
| KonkobaAt the beginning, « Konkoba » is a folk harvest rhythmic dance from Guinea (Hamana). « The fields have been prepared for planting. Konkoba has completed his work and returns to the village... »... Read more. |
JalikundaJalikunda is an explosive cocktail of spiritual Afro-Mandinka music, inspired by the songs, dances and rhythms from Casamance in Southern Senegal... Read more. - Toumani DiabateToumani Diabaté is the son of the legendary korafolá Sidiki Diabaté .Virtuoso korafolá, Toumani Diabate has much contributed to make known the kora... Read more. |
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| KulanjanKulandjan is one of the most famous folksongs of the Mandeka tradition, especially of Mali... Read more. |
Sidiki Diabate - Batourou Sekou Kouyate |
| Kuyate faasa |
An Bè Kelen« An Bè Kelen » is a noteworthy record at many points of view. Indeed : « The melodies on this CD are all widely known in Mali and Guinea. The great value of these recordings lies in its words. These words are not only powerful because they are spoken by well trained jeliw... Read more |
| Lamban
Initially, « Lamban » was devoted to the Kouyate lineage, who belonged to the very first family of Mande jelilu... Read more about. (Jaliya) |
Sory Kandia Kouyate |
| Lasidan
That song dates back to the colonial time. The song title comes from a vocational warping of the French expression : « L'adjudantn"» (warrant officer)... Read more about. |
Djeli Moussa BallakeBallake Sissokho is a great korafolá from Mali, great griot Djelimady Sissokho's son... Read more. - Mamadou DiabateMamadou Diabate is a great korafolá world wide known. Mamadou's father Djelimory played kora, the griot's venerable 21-string harp... Read more. |
| Mamadou BitikiMamadou Bitiki is the nick-name jelilu gave to a rich merchant from Guinea... Read more. |
Sidiki Diabate - Kemo Conde |
| Mama MannehMama Manneh was composed in the 1970s by the famous korafolá Mori Jali Suso at Ziguinchor (Senegal), in honour of a young woman of the illustrious family of Manneh... Read more. |
Morikeba Kouyaté - Foday Musa Suso |
| Mamaya |
Amy Koita - Ba CissokoBa Cissoko is a name of a young jèlílu band whom Ba Cissoko himself (traditional kora and lead vocal), his cousins, Seckou Kouyate (electric kora and vocals) and Kourou Kouyate (bass, bolon, and vocals). The rest of the band is variable... Read more. |
| Mali SadioThis song hails from a popular tale. The tale has on it that a loving link rise up between a young woman and a hippo... Read more. |
S. Kandia Kouyate - Mangala |
| Manssana Cisse |
S. Kandia Kouyate - Mama Sissoko |
| MiniyambaThat song (Miniyamba), coming from Mali, is very old, tracing back to the times of the Wagadou empire (Ghana, Arabic), the oldest empire of Black Africa...Read more. |
Seckou Keita - Fanta Damba (EINM) |
| NanKoMan JanThis song is a praising song celebrating the victory of Sundjata upon the remainder of the troops of Soumaworo Kante in Nârena (located in current Republic of Guinea) in 1235... Read more. |
Kassé Mady Diabate |
| NanfoulenThis song is popular and is coming from Guinea ; it is rather recent, dating back from the 2nd world war.... Read more about. |
Abdoulaye Diabate - Soundioulou Cissokho |
| Sakho DuguSakhodougou is a song that can be dated exactly in the historical chronology. It was composed in 1880, when Malinke allied pushed back the Fula people of Niagossola to the Birgo land... |
Sory Kandia Kouyate - Soriba Kouyate |
| SalimunNear 1952, there was in Kankan a man called Salimoun who was a notorious drunken... Read more. |
Djeli Moussa Diawara - Mangala |
| SamakoroSamakoro is a traditional folksong from Guinea. Initially, Samakoro is the name of a village (or many others) of Upper Guinea... Read more. |
Keletigui Diabate |
| SaraIn the beginning, « Sara » was a story which was sung. The song split of the story ; it became a song for right lovers. Then, because of many dubious meanings of the word « Sara », the song changed again... Read more. (Kankelentigui) |
Siramori DiabatéSiramory Diabaté (v. 1925 ~ October, 16, 1989) is hailing from great line of griots from Kela, craddle of Malian traditionists. She was the daughter of the great ngonifola Bintufaama Diabaté... Read more. - Balla et ses balladins |
| Simbo |
Jali Nyama Susso
Jali Nyama Suso was a very great korafolá who has been world wide famous in the 1970s... Read more. |
| Soumbou ya ya |
Balla et ses BalladinsBalla et ses Balladins (also known as « Orchestre du Jardin de Guinée ») were a dance-music orchestra formed in Conakry, Guinea in 1962 following the break-up of the Syli Orchestre National, Guinea's first state-sponsored group. Also called the Orchestre du Jardin de Guinée, after the « bar dancing » music venue in Conakry that still exists today... Read more. - Sousou & Maher Cissoko |
| Soumaworo K. faasa |
Guinea : Songs and Epics - An Bè Kelen« An Bè Kelen » is a noteworthy record at many points of view. Indeed :
« The melodies on this CD are all widely known in Mali and Guinea. The great value of these recordings lies in its words... Read more." |
| SouaressiIn the beginning,Suwaresi is a composition from Kita which was adapted by Sory Kandia Kouyate. A popular etymology and many jèlílu explained that the ancestor of the Suware was the first black man to go to Mecca... Read more. |
Sory Kandia Kouyate - Seckou KeitaSeckou Keita is a brilliant live performer with stacks of charisma, and one of the few champions of the less-known and rhythmically rocking kora repertoire from Casamance in southern Senegal where he is from... Read more |
| Suba |
Sory Kandia Kouyate - Balla Tounkara |
| SundiataSundiata faasa is the most famous song of the Manding tradition. That song is also known under the title of The Anthem of the Bow or Simbo... Read more |
Sidiki Diabate
After the World War War II, the kora has been popularized world wide by Sidiki Diabate and Jeli Madi Sissoko... Read more. - Ballake SissokhoBallake Sissokho is a great korafolá from Mali, great griot Djelimady Sissokho's son... Read More. |
| SutukunSoutoukoun is a praising song dedicated to a forest village and particularly focused on the figure of a marabout, very famous in the early XIX° century, named Koumbou Sora... Read more. (Kumbu Sora) |
MBady Kouyaté - Vieux Diop |
| TaaraTara is the tune of the departure (for the ancestors country), i.e. a praising song in honor of the dead heroes... Read more. |
Amy Koita - Baaba MaalBaaba Maal is well-talented as multi-instrumentalist and singer gifted with a high piched and impressive voice... Read more. |
| Tabara |
Jali Nyama SussoJali Nyama Suso was a very great korafolá who has been world wide famous in the 1970s... Read more. - Amadu
Bansang JobartehAmadu Bansang Jobarteh was a famous korafolá in his country (Gambia), hailing from the great jèlílu family of the Diabate from Gambia and Mali... |
| Tassiri ManghanSamori Toure, conqueror of West Africa, had two renowned jèlílu : Morifignian Diabaté and Koné Tassiri Mangan... Read more. |
Kassé Mady Diabaté - Cheick Tidiane Seck |
| Tira Makhan faasa« Tira Maghan » is a song from the praising verses of « Tira Maghan faassa » devoted to the hunter hero, great bowman, allied to the founder of the Manden Empire, Sundjata... Read more. |
Sira Mori DiabatéSiramory Diabaté is hailing from great line of griots from Kela, craddle of Malian traditionists. She was the daughter of the great ngonifola Bintufaama Diabaté... Read more. |
| Teri (Jato)Nteri Jato is a popular song from Gambia celebrating friendship and hospitality in different countries... Read more. |
Alhaj Bai Konte - Lalo Keba DrameLalo Keba Drame was a famous korafolá. He became famous for adaptating to kora the Djembeseng... Read more. |
| TubakaTubaka means dwellers of T(o)uba ; a lot of cities in West Africa are called Touba... Read more. |
Sory Kandia Kouyate - Toumani DiabateToumani Diabaté is the son of the legendary korafolá Sidiki Diabaté .Virtuoso korafolá, Toumani Diabate has much contributed to make known the kora... Read more. |
| Tutu Diarra« Tutu Diarra » is the eponymous narrative devoted to a great king of Segou (Mali), Ngolo Diarra alias « Tutu » (the Snake)... Read more. |
Sidiki Diabate - Batourou Sekou Kouyate |
| Yeela« Yeela » (Debe) is a praising song that great Fula jèlílu use to sing in honor of their leaders (abo)... Read more. (Debe) |
Baaba MaalBaaba Maal is well-talented as multi-instrumentalist and singer gifted with a high piched and impressive voice... Read more. |
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