Mama Sissoko - Live '2024

Tracks list

A veteran of the great Malian orchestra, the Super Biton de Ségou, Mama
Sissoko is an accomplished musician. His music traverses Mandingo, Bambara,
Sarakolé, Songhai, Bobo, Peul, Malinke and Bozo traditions, all while
flirting with jazz. On stage, Mama Sissoko is a purist who engages with the
audience bringing his energy, urgent vocals and truly inspired guitar solos
throughout the concert. ‘Live' brings together recordings from a concert
given in Paris at La Villette in 1998 and takes us back to a high point in Mama
Sissoko's career. In ‘Live’, we find tracks from Mama Sissoko's
second solo album 'Soleil de Minuit', which was released in 1999 by Buda Music.
As on the album, the different guitars overlap without compromising the unity of
the music, rendering an earthy atmosphere despite being very complex. The
recording of this concert was superb. We can hear every note, every nuance,
every instrument and voice in the many-layered compositions. As on the album
‘Soleil de Minuit’, this live recording opens the session with
‘Diarabi’, followed by ‘Safiatou’. Both are up-tempo
love songs in which Mama Sissoko's powerful voice sings with all of the passion
that such love songs deserve over a clean rhythm driven by the percussion of
several guitars. The heavy bassline of ‘Safiatou’ adds to the
urgency of the song. After these two beautiful renditions, the energy continues
with the guitar-driven ’Fisiriwale’ and then a surprisingly
original version of Super Biton’s famous song, ‘Iri’. We are
then treated to a lively version of his ‘Soleil de Minuit’, called
out by the artist as a ‘salsa Africana’ with a shout out given to
Cuban salsa mid-way through when he calls the song ‘El Sol de
Medianoche’ in perfect Spanish. Throughout this concert, Mama
Sissoko’s deep and melodic voice seems to emanate effortlessly from his
body and soul. Multiple guitars back up his signature solos adding depth to the
music that harkens back to the traditional music of Mali. Perfect examples of
this are given in the songs ‘Douga’, ‘Manssane’ and
‘Hommage a K’. The last song, before a rousing second version of
‘Soleil de Minuit’, is ‘Boma Ma’, a truly modern
rendition of a traditional Malian hunters’ song with multiple guitars,
shakers, lively djembe and an outstanding vocal duet with Toussaint Sainé,
Mama Sissoko’s long time musical collaborator. Accompanied by incredible
musicians, including Toussaint Sainé, his partner in the Super Biton
orchestra, "Live" plays in the timeless way of Malian music. What's more, it
gives us the gift of its most direct and powerful dimension, that of live music,
as if 20 years hadn't passed. 



Tracklist:
1.01 - Mama Sissoko - Diarabi (Live) (5:56) 
1.02 - Mama Sissoko - Safiatou (Live) (5:29) 
1.03 - Mama Sissoko - Fisiriwale (Live) (5:30) 
1.04 - Mama Sissoko - Iri (Live) (4:39) 
1.05 - Mama Sissoko - Soleil de Minuit (Live) (7:19) 
1.06 - Mama Sissoko - Douga (Live) (5:23) 
1.07 - Mama Sissoko - Manssane (Live) (5:38) 
1.08 - Mama Sissoko - Hommage à K. (Live) (6:01) 
1.09 - Mama Sissoko - Boma ma (Live) (7:19) 
1.10 - Mama Sissoko - Soleil de Minuit Rappel (Live) (5:55)

Related artists