UPCOMING: Super Biton De Segou LP (KINDRED SPIRITS)
Due out September 2012, to pre-order please contact us at info@conch.co.nz
Tracklist & Soundclips: 1. Nyeleni
2. Malamini
3. Saajuru
4. Taasi Doni
5. Yere Jabo
6. Siseni
Official Reissue Of The Rare Super Biton National De SÉGou Record On Mali Kunkan. Featuring Songs From Mali’S Golden Age. Of all the Malian orchestras, the mighty Super Biton de Ségou stands tall in the history of Malian modern music. Largely forgo.. en these days, it s.. ll remains one of the oldest and probably one of the best orchestras on the African con.. nent. Like most great orchestras from West Africa, Super Biton have always combined a subtle mix of tradi .. on and modernity, instrumental ease and vocal virtuosity along their sca.. ered 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 Mop.. , Sidi Yassa de Kayes, Mystère Jazz de Tombouctou, Negro Band de Gao and Kénéstar de Sikasso, Mali’s main regional orchestras. By that .. me, Super Biton were declared Mali’s fi rst ‘na.. onal orchestra’. At the height of their power, the Biton had a repertoire of over 200 songs and counted 19 musicians amongtheir ranks.
By 1977, they released two consecu.. ve albums under the name Super Biton Na.. onal de Ségou, lavishly recorded at the fabled Radio Mali studio under the aegis of sound wizard Boubacar Traoré. ‘Nyeleni’ is a devasta.. ng 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, on a track that was voted ‘best song’ at the 1976 Biennale. On ‘Saajuru’, Doumbia promotes honour and brotherhood among local communi.. es. ‘Taasi Doni’ is the story of a young girl asking her parents to forgive her, and let her marry the man she chooses. Percé breaks new ground while singing about this tale of a free wedding in a then very conserva.. ve region. Always moral in their songs, the Biton spoke volumes to a lot of Malian people. Sung by Toussaint and Percé, ‘Siseni’ denounced jealousy and nas.. ness.
This record is an exact reissue of one of their full albums, featuring songs from Mali’s golden age. They display the true nature of Malian musical genius, mixing tradi.. onal and modern instruments, such as Mama Sissoko’s mighty electric guitar, with sheer enthuasism at a .. me when most of these orchestras had largely overpassed the regional and na.. onal status they were given. Just like the Super Biton, s.. ll carrying on a.. er many tribula.. ons, they failed to reach a wider audience outside of Mali. Now it’s about .. me to enjoy the .. melessness of Mali’s regional music from Ségou.
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