N'Faly Kouyate
Encyclopedia
N'Faly Kouyate is a Guinea
n musician. He is a member of the Mandinka
ethnic group of West Africa. His father was the griot
Konkoba Kabinet Kouyate, who lived in Siguiri
, Guinea.
In 1994 Kouyate moved to Belgium
and formed his ensemble Dunyakan (The Voice of the World). In 1997, he was invited to join the Afro Celt Sound System
providing vocals, playing the kora
, and balafon
, collaborating with the others in the band to compose songs with an exceptionally unique world music
sound, blending music from Ireland with that of West African countries including his native Guinea.
N'Faly Kouyaté's dexterity and elegance in impassioned playing the kora made him known as the "Jimi Hendrix
of the kora". He is now working on his next album. Kouyaté, two times Grammy-nominated, winner of a golden disc, founded his own group in 1996: Dunyakan, "voice of the world". Six musicians from different cultures create a musical revolution by the mix of traditional Mandingo and modern western instruments embellished by African dance. N'Faly Kouyaté has played amongst others for the Olympic Games in Athens and the wife of Nelson Mandela.
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
n musician. He is a member of the Mandinka
Mandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
ethnic group of West Africa. His father was the griot
Griot
A griot or jeli is a West African storyteller. The griot delivers history as a poet, praise singer, and wandering musician. The griot is a repository of oral tradition. As such, they are sometimes also called bards...
Konkoba Kabinet Kouyate, who lived in Siguiri
Siguiri
Siguiri is a city in northeastern Guinea on the River Niger. It is a sub-prefecture and capital of Siguiri Prefecture in the Kankan Region. Its population was estimated at 28,319 in 2008....
, Guinea.
In 1994 Kouyate moved to Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and formed his ensemble Dunyakan (The Voice of the World). In 1997, he was invited to join the Afro Celt Sound System
Afro Celt Sound System
The Afro Celt Sound System is a musical group which fuses modern electronic dance rhythms with traditional Irish and West African music...
providing vocals, playing the kora
Kora (instrument)
The kora is a 21-string bridge-harp used extensively in West Africa.-Description:A kora is built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator, and has a notched bridge. It does not fit well into any one category of western instruments and would have to be...
, and balafon
Balafon
The balafon is a resonated frame, wooden keyed percussion idiophone of West Africa; part of the idiophone family of tuned percussion instruments that includes the xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel, and the vibraphone...
, collaborating with the others in the band to compose songs with an exceptionally unique world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
sound, blending music from Ireland with that of West African countries including his native Guinea.
N'Faly Kouyaté's dexterity and elegance in impassioned playing the kora made him known as the "Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
of the kora". He is now working on his next album. Kouyaté, two times Grammy-nominated, winner of a golden disc, founded his own group in 1996: Dunyakan, "voice of the world". Six musicians from different cultures create a musical revolution by the mix of traditional Mandingo and modern western instruments embellished by African dance. N'Faly Kouyaté has played amongst others for the Olympic Games in Athens and the wife of Nelson Mandela.
External links
- N'Faly Kouyate article
- Dunyakan site
- Spinning around the source. Slumbering stories in and around Siguiri. Article by Rachel Laget based on anthropological field research. (www.xpeditions.eu)
See also
- Kora (instrument)Kora (instrument)The kora is a 21-string bridge-harp used extensively in West Africa.-Description:A kora is built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator, and has a notched bridge. It does not fit well into any one category of western instruments and would have to be...