- country:Guinea
- region:West Africa
- style(s):Afro, Groove
- label:Universal Music
- type:Band, Composer/Songwriter
- gender:male
- instrumentation:instrumental, vocal
- artist posted by:Une Autre!
Line up
- Babou (drums perc)
- DIELY Moussa Kouyate (GUITAR)
- fefe (keyboards)
- MAma (backing vocal)
- PEPE (BASS)
In English, "Kouyate" means (more or less) : "There's only one like you"
"I came to music naturally, I didn't have to chase it. It's been in my veins since I was conceived. When I was 16 I decided to make it my career.
" Diely, who had already mastered the sitar and the balafon, took up the guitar. He was extremely gifted, and had been born with an astounding ear; he rapidly became one of the finest musicians in western Africa, and was sought-after for his unique propensity in reproducing a huge number of disparate sounds on his instrument.
His technique was amazing, and he had an extraordinary gift for rhythm: they gave him a second nickname, the "Mandingo pressure-cooker". " cocotte mandingue"
Diely visited most of the capitals in western Africa, appearing on more than a hundred recordings. He has also left his mark on at least three-quarters of the the African music recorded in Paris over the past decade...
He began his career at Bamako, in Mali, first with the 'Messagers' of Madane Sanake (1969-1972), and then with the great singer Kasse Mady Diabate (1972-73). For the next seven years he set fire to the rhythm section of the Bamako Rail Band, which used to be the star-attraction at the 'Hotel de la Gare' (in those days, each hotel in the Mali capital had its own house-band).
Between 1982 and 1989, Diely Moussa Kouyate returned home to Guinea, where he played his part in three groups that were emblems of the musical effervescence: the Manden Kono orchestra, Bembeya Jazz National and led by the "eminent" guitarist Sekou Diabate Bembeya
Diely Moussa lived also in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, playing in the group of his friend Babadjan Kaba and participating in dozens of recordings with his brothers
Diely, who also accompanied (at last) Mory Kante on record for several years, inherited the official title (a heavy role and none the less honourable for it) of "rhythm guitarist" (the real pivot of the orchestra) with Salif Keita.
In 2002 he start his own discographie
"Sebe Ayale" CD EmArcy/Universal Jazz
The record is jubilant and festive, and was conceived as an illuminated anthology of the multiple talents of Diely Moussa Kouyate skilled composer, inspired arranger, accomplished instrumentalist, modernist steeped in tradition, first-rate swing-artist and such a glorious promoter of groove.... "Sebe Ayale" is a multicoloured, powerfully federative album that can only make today's morals more beautiful.
For his new second album Le TEMPS (the time), he was finally able to bring together his musician friends and to set up all the influences he had acquired after years of touring and recordings
"Le Temps" will be released in january 2008 by Universal Jazz
On tour from january till August 2008.