DJELIMADY TOUNKARA BLUES PROJECT

I have always been a big fan of Djelimady Tounkara, the “Guitar Hero” of Manding music. His playing is colorful, elegant and downright fascinating. Yesterday, this African virtuoso came to the Zuiderpershuis in Antwerp to introduce the DJELIMADY TOUNKARA BLUES PROJECT. The show was mind-blowingly good!

Djelimady was born in a family of Griots in the heart of the Malinke; the cradle of the great dynasties of Griots in Mali. At a young age, he had already learned the majority of traditional instruments (balafon, kora, ngoni…) and fairly rapidly discovered a passion for the guitar. Soon, Djelimady started accompanying the Griots at weddings, baptisms and circumcision ceremonies. After contributing to the Orchestre National “A” and “Pioneer Jazz” – Mali’s first modern dance bands - he joined the Super Rail Band at the start of the 1970s and in this way accompanied the first musical steps of Salif Keita and Mory Kanté. The critically-acclaimed “Belle Epoque” series on Sterns Music (three double CDs) tells the story of the band from 1970 to 1983.

In 2001, Djelimady released his first solo record Sigui on the French Label Bleu and 3 years later, the follow-up album Solon Kôno was released on Marabi. Both CDs showcase his brilliant guitar style, heavenly female vocals and wonderful accompaniments on the djembé, doundoun, calabash gourd and ngoni.

Yesterday, Djelimady was surrounded by Moussa Diabate on guitar, Aboubacar Diombana on electric bass and Abou Cissoko on ngoni. The foursome’s playing was subtle and inspiring and all four gave the others the opportunity to show off their virtuosity. Abou Cissoko’s ngoni playing was very intense & challenging while Aboubacar’s bass gave the songs a genuine drive. At times, Moussa Diabate’s guitar almost sounded like a kora and it really felt like a musical heaven to me!

During the whole concert, Djelimady switched between acoustic and electric guitar and one could hear a lot of different styles in his playing: Cuban, Hot Swing, Flamenco… Djelimady masters all those genres! At times, Djelimady & Abou stood up and started an improvising duel with their instruments. The way they used the call-and-response concept of blues music was absolutely thrilling. No wonder the concert finished with a standing ovation and a rousing cry for more!


Together with Ali Farka Toure and Toumani Diabate, Djelimady Tounkara forms the holy trinity of Malian music. Let’s hope the DJELIMADY TOUNKARA BLUES PROJECT will do some studio recording in the very near future because from what I heard & saw yesterday, this is a totally unique band that has the potential & talent to record a masterpiece!