
Salutiamo Mory Kanté, il musicista guineano, scomparso all’età di 70 a Conakry, a causa una malattia cronica. Conosciuto per il suo hit “Yéké YéKé”, soprannominato il griot elettrico per la sua fusione di musica per kora dell'Africa occidentale e pop africano, Kanté è stato uno dei protagonisti di quella superlativa stagione di rinnovamento della musica urbana in Africa. Infatti la sua carriera era iniziata come cantante della Rail Band di Bamako negli anni 70, in cui militava anche il top vocalist Salif Keita. «È stato un fratello maggiore», ha detto di lui Youssou N’Dour. Kanté aveva poi imbracciato la kora da autodidatta fino a diventare, come detto, l’emblema del coté mainstream della world music. Nel 2001 era stato nominato ambasciatore FAO. Consigliamo di ascoltatarvi il suo album acustico “Sabou” (2004).
Editor's Note
Our new issue opens with Brizio Montinaro’s “Il Teatro della taranta. Tra finzione scenica e simulazione”. We have spoken to the author, a professional actor and anthropologist of passion, In his latest volume, the Salento researcher has carried out an extensive study on the diffusion of the tarantism in Europe, revealing entirely new features of the phenomenon. His research has analysed some theatrical texts in which tarantism is somehow present. In particular, in the second section of the book an assortment of farcical works is collected, covering a three century time span, from the seventeenth century Pedro Calderon de la Barca’s plays to nineteenth century’s works created by Francesco Albergati Capacelli. The world music page opens with the firing Balkan crossover of Macedonian Džambo Aguševi Orchestra’s “Brasses for the Masses. From Denmark here you have the folk contemporary of Phønix and Tailcoat. While the economic conflict between the US and China continues, the music responds with the eponymous record originated from the gorgeous teaming up of Wu Fei (ghuzeng) and Abigail Washburn (banjo). We then take a journey with cellist Matthieu Saglio’s luxurious “El camino de los vientos”. Another sound crossings album is “Live in Sete Sois”, the latest release from Med Arab Jewish 7Sóis Orkestra, conducted by Stefano Saletti. We return to Italy to review Bisca’s “Stato di Grazia”, the comeback of the seminal Neapolitan no-wave band. Our singer-songwriting column offers Alessio Lega’s version of “Le Canzoni di Fabrizio De André per voce e fisarmonica”, recorded with the long-standing collaborator Guido Baldoni. It follows a focus on the Lucus Trio’s “Bragato / Piazzolla”. Finally, Pilar is Valerio Corzani’s pic.
Our final salute to Mory Kanté, the Guinean musician, who has passed away aged 70 in Conakry, due to a chronic illness. Celebrated for his hit single “Yéké YéKé” (1988), known as the electric griot for his fusion of West-African kora music and African pop, Kanté was one of the protagonists of that superlative season of renewal of urban music in Africa, as his career began as a singer of Bamako’s Rail Band in the 70s alongside Malian top vocalist Salif Keita. «He was an elder brother», said Youssou N’Dour. Kanté had then self-taught kora to become an emblem of the mainstream coté of world music. In 2001 he was appointed FAO ambassador. We recommend listening to his acoustic album “Sabou” (2004).
Ciro De Rosa
Direttore Responsabile di www.blogfoolk.com
COVER STORY
WORLD MUSIC
- Džambo Aguševi Orchestra – Brasses for the masses (Asphalt Tango, 2020)
- Phønix – Hvad Intet Øre Hørte End/Tailcoat – Tall Tales Tiny Pieces (Go’ Danish Folk Music, 2019)
- Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn – Wu Fei & Abigail Washburn (Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2020)
- Matthieu Saglio – El camino de los vientos (ACT, 2020)
- Med.Arab.Jewish 7Sóis Orkestra – Live in Sete Sóis (Festival Sete Sóis Sete Luas, 2020)
VIAGGIO IN ITALIA
STORIE DI CANTAUTORI
CONTEMPORANEA
CORZANI AIRLINES
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