Videos
Help A Child was released as a single in Senegal 2012 and the video has been shown frequently on TV station in West Africa such as TFM
These are just preview samples. You need a valid account and be logged in to watch the full clips.
- country:Senegal
- region:West Africa
- style(s):Blues, Acoustic
- label:Waulk Records
- type:Solo
- gender:male
- instrumentation:singer songwriter
- artist posted by:Waulk Records
Links
Amadou Diagne is from Ashlem, a suburb of Dakar, Senegal. Born into a large Griot family of Sabar drummers and praise singers Diagne has been surrounded by the traditional Griot music and folklore of West Africa from birth. He was a member of L'Orchestre Nationale du Senegal for seven years during which time he played percussion for some of the world's greatest musicians including Youssou N'Dour, Cesaria Evora and Jimmy Cliff. Now resident in the UK he was signed by World Music Network in 2011, and his debut solo album 'Introducing Amadou Diagne' was released in 2012 and was in the European World Music charts.
Diagne's follow up 'Yakar' (produced by fellow band member Griselda Sanderson) was released on the Waulk Records label in May 2013, immediately picked up by the UK Music press and dubbed 'the stand-out West African release of the year' by Chris Potts on charlie Gillet's blog site.
"Diagne's hushed, smoky voice and unhurried acoustic guitar is accompanied by striking string arrangements and elegant, sophisticated production...lifted up by quite stunning violin accompaniment by Griselda Sanderson. Indeed her string arrangements, combining hints of Celtic melody, a swirl of Egyptian classicism and the sound of the Swedish nyckelharpa, are outstanding throughout".
Nigel Williamson, Songlines Magazine issue 95, October 2013.
The title track Yakar was subsequently included on fROOTS' covermount CD and in their playlist chart June/July issue, 2013.
Diagne works solo or with The Amadou Diagne Band. He also plays in Kamba Band, a cross-cultural collaboration that combines his Senegalese blues with Griselda Sanderson's northern European strings and the Moroccan Gnawa of Simo Lagnawi in a vibrant and dynamic live act.
Amadou Diagne is a popular artist in his home country and his video of the song Help A Child released in 2012 is still shown regularly on TFM, Youssou N'Dour's TV channel in West Africa.