Bembeya Jazz National

On the Syliphone label from the 80's I imagine. A delightful example of the music of Guinea in West Africa .

The Leopard Man says -

"Bembeya Jazz National is Guinea's most famous band and a giant in West African music.The band was active right up until 1991 and the modern bandleader
Bambino Diabate began here.
Like Rail Band, Bembeya Jazz National received economic government support.It was started in 1961 as Bembeya Jazz and won first prize in two national band competitions in 1962 and 1964, and in 1966 awarded the distinction of "National Orchestra". There was at this time a strong bond between Guinea's President Sekou Toure and Fidel Castro, and in 1965 Bembeya Jazz embarked on a famous tour to Cuba. The acclaimed Cuban singer Abelardo Barroso was moved to tears by Bembeya Jazz's vocalist, Aboubacar Camara. Camara was killed in a car accident in 1973, on route to a concert in Dakar, an event that provoked national mourning in Guinea. Camara's death, combined with political and economic problems in the country, meant that Bembeya Jazz never managed to regain their status of the 1960s, even though they were active and released several disks in the 1970s and 1980s.
Bembeya Jazz National plays strongly Cuban-influenced music.This Cuban-influence in West African music came about because the slaves sent to Cuba came, in all likelihood, from the Manding area of Guinea and Mali. The rhythmic patterns of the music lie close to each other and Cuban music is hugely popular in West Africa to this day. As Salif Keita once said: "I used to sing in Spanish - or at least something I thought was Spanish, for I didn't speak it. I love Cuban music and, more than that, I see it as a duty of all Mali’s people to love Cuban music, for it was through it that we were introduced to modern instruments."
To hear Bembeya Jazz National is an inspiring journey through an exciting musical landscape. Many rate Bembeya Jazz National as one of Africa's best ever bands.
At the beginning of the new millenium the band is up and going again, with most of the old members revitalised."

Bembaya Jazz National - Side Two

Bembeya Jazz National

An Lp on the Syliphone label from Paris. The band itself are from Guinee in West Africa. I have feaured them before some years ago and so well overdue for another airing. The brass always sounds a little out of tune to me but that just adds to it's charm somehow.

Wikipedia says -

"In the aftermath of the Guinean Independence in 1958 and through the cultural policy of "authenticite", which encouraged cultural pride, numerous bands were created throughout the regions of Guinea. Guinea's President, Ahmed Sékou Touré, disbanded all private dance orchestras and replaced them with state-supported groups, such as Keletigui et ses Tambourinis and Balla et ses Balladins. The most popular was Bembeya Jazz National, formed in 1961. Specializing in modern arrangements of Manding classic tunes, Bembeya Jazz National won 1st prize at two national arts festival's in 1964 and 1965 and were crowned "National Orchestra" in 1966.

Initially an acoustic group, featuring a Latin-flavored horn section of saxophone, trumpet, and clarinet, Bembeya Jazz National reached its apex with the addition of lead singer Aboubacar Demba Camara. The group toured widely, and became one of the most well-known groups in Africa. Among their biggest hits were the songs "Mami Wata" and "Armee Guineenne".

Bembeya Jazz National’s most ambitious album, Regard Sur Le Passe, released in 1968, was a musical tribute to the memory of Samory Touré, who founded a Mande conquest state in much of what is now northern Guinea in 1870, and who became a nationalist emblem following 1958."








Bembeya Jazz National - Deuxieme Partie