NEW RELEASE
“Sabaru” is the new album by the multi-award winning Guinean Kora virtuoso, singer and composer, Sekou Kouyate, who invented the electrified Kora at the amazing age of 12 - and went on to pioneer the sound with Wa Wa pedals, fast riffs, experimental distortions and rock and jazz-influenced playing"
The multi-awarded musiciain Sekou Kouyate is considered among the world’s finest Kora players. The album SABARU, meaning patience, sums up Sekou´s musical history. Rooted in his West African traditions and influenced by the contemporary Blues, Soul, Funk and Jazz, that has also been his early inspirations, Sekou´s sound, mode of playing and the invention of the electric Kora, has inspired a whole new generation of Kora players. Sabaru has been nomited for the prestigious AFRIMA AWARDS 2015. It is being called his best album so far. Will also be on the Top Ten list of World Music Charts Europe in October.
Not only a great master of the classical musical tradition, Sekou Kouyate also amplifies his instrument and distorts the sound with wah wah pedals, , the pioneering idea he got at the age of 12, and that set new standards for West African traditional music to enter the stages of contemporary music. Yet preserving the virtues and techniques of the beautiful instrument, and the knowledge he has proudly inherited from his father, M´Bady Kouyate, and while you know it's still a Kora, the things he does with it, turn it on its head; it's little wonder he's been called the Jimi Hendrix of the instrument. The sound becomes totally new, exciting waterfalls of notes that are palpably thrilling.
He has been called a "Musical Genius" and "The most exiting musician to have come out of the New Generation of the African Continent" and "Worlds best Kora player of his Generation”. Constantly curious and freely experimenting with new sounds, Sekou’s ideas have many sound layers that he extracts from this rich instrument, with its endless possibilities for complex combinations of tones and polyrhythms, and which he performs with great individual expression. Singing with his velvet soft, rich voice, and performing with such abundance of feeling and technique, it is always an emotionally rewarding experience to enjoy Sekou Kouyate´s music. His music is a groovy, soulfull mix of classical Mandingo, and details of Blues, Flaminco, Soul, Jazz and Afro Pop. Hard to descirbe in few terms,Sekou Kouyate has created a music style of its own.
SABARU was released July 31, 2015, on One World Records, recorded, mixed and mastered by Richard Plougmann at Juicy Halftones Studio A in Copenhagen
Produced by Sekou Kouyate & Carolina Vallejo, One World. Distribution Discovery Records.
“Sekou Kouyate is one of the best Kora player’s in the world- a musical genius”
Jacob Edgar, Cumbancha, USA
“Sekou is my master, I always tell him, but he denies”
Toumani Diabate, Mali
“Kouyate commands the Kora, coaxing from it’s strings an ethereal sound somewhere between a guitar carved of crystal and a Rennaisance harpsichord. The man is a rare virtuoso”
Superjam, UK
“SEKOU KOUYATE ROCKS BIG TIME! Sekou Kouyate from Guinea Conakry must be a measureless virtuoso of the Kora”
Alexander Agrell, Sydsvenskan, Sweden
“Sekou Kouyate is one of the most amazing musicians in his generation from the African continent”
Kinobe Herbert, Uganda/ USA
Selected Discography by Sekou Kouyate
1997 SOUTOUKOUN (M´Bady Kouyate)
2004 SABOLAN (w Ba Cissoko)
2008 ELECTRIC GRIOTLAND (w Ba Cissoko)
2008 LEMAN (Blick Bassy)
2009 SENO (w Ba Cissoko)
2011 DIA (Sekou Kouyate Experience w Igor Leonardi)
2011 LIVE IN MB (Sekou Kouyate Experience)
2012 NIMISSA (w Ba Cissoko)
2012 YO (Roberto Fonseca)
2012 HONGO CALLING (Blick Bassy)
2012 FAYA (Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate) (Mundial Babel Med Cross Atlantic Award 2015)
2015 SABARU (Sekou Kouyate)
SABARA All music & texts ©by Sekou Kouyate
Recorded Mixed & Mastered by Richard Plougmann
Recorded at Juicyhalftone´s Studio A
Copenhagen Denmark 2014 & 2015
“Atongo” Recorded at Groove House Recording Studio
Accra Ghana by Francis Kweku Osei 2015
Photos & Artwork ©by Carolina Vallejo
Graphics by Justin Jones
Produced by Sekou Kouyate & Carolina Vallejo
Executive producer Carolina Vallejo One World
www.oneworldsmusic.com I www.sekoukouyate.com
01 DELA
02 DINDINYA *
03 ATONGO ** ***
04 GROOVE KORA *
05 FOUTA ** ****
06 EMOURAFAMA **
07 NADE
08 SKA ****
09 DESERT
06 ASUIRA *
11 DIFICIL * **
12 MOBENY
Sekou Kouyate Vocals Kora Electric Kora Guitar
Sefoudi Kouyate Kora
Mohamed Kalissa Kora
Bouba Kouyate Bass
Mohamed Kaba Drums Calabash
Facinet Sylla Djembe Congas
Francis Kweku Osei Tama Udu Clave Congas
* Sekou Kouyate Guitar Bass
** Francis Kweku Osei Drums
*** Gaddiel Amoah Bass
*** Carl Amoah Keys
**** Bouba Kouyate Backing Vocals