Kasse Mady Diabate’s singing style

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Kasse Mady Diabate’s singing style

... singing in the traditional griot style from West Africa

These audio samples are Kasse Mady Diabate’s three vocal solos from the song Moving Away.

This is like a call for people to listen to

Kasse Mady Diabate

Each of the solos follows pretty much the same broad pattern. First there are long, held, high notes, and these are followed by series of a lot of quicker notes. This pattern is in fact a traditional way of singing in the griot tradition from which Kasse Mady comes, in Mali, West Africa.

Kasse Mady sings in Bambara, the first language of many Malians. Here's a translation of his lyrics:

People listen to me, black people, white people, Africans, Europeans, children and adults, listen to what I am saying!

What I’m saying is for the young people to hear us, to know that the Kings and Emperors who passed away before us did well.

They were just human beings, but they worked hard and did well so we should be doing the same.

Let's be proud of ourselves, get to know yourself and you will get to know someone else.

Oh world, all the world, Africans and Europeans, let's be together.

This is the best thing that could happen. Let's help each other, this is the only way we can succeed.

Mixing singing styles

Origins of the opening call

Kasse Mady Diabate’s singing style

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