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Mory Kante Born: Unknown, Guinea
Born on March 29, 1950, in Guinea to a large family (Mory’s father had 38 children), Mory Kante’s father first exposed him to music, schooling him in the family traditions of West Africa’s Mande griots or jelis. However, Mory didn’t begin his formal musical education until he moved to Bamako, Mali, to live with his aunt at age 15. There, in addition to the music of the jelis, Mory absorbed the diverse musical influences streaming into Mali during the 1960s, including Congolese rumba and American funk and soul. In the next decade, Mory’s career blossomed. After playing guitar and balafon for the African soul group The Apollos, Mory was scouted and recruited by the Rail Band, soon to become a legend and also the springboard for the career of fellow superstar singer, Salif Keita. After Salif quit the Rail Band for Les Ambassadors, Mory filled his shoes, recording a slew of albums and singles (including “L’exile de Sunjata,” the recounting of the ancient Mande king’s tumultuous rise to power), most of which are unfortunately out of print and hard to find today. Mory left the Rail Band in 1977 to study traditional griot music, recording his first solo album, Courougnegne, in 1981. Despite his regional success in West Africa, Mory Kante wouldn’t receive international recognition until he moved to Paris in 1984. In France, Mory’s years of study and practice began to pay off as Paris, and eventually, the world, witnessed the Guinean’s prolific musical force. In just six years, Mory had produced and recorded four albums—Mory Kante in Paris, 10 Kola Nuts, Akwaba Beach and Touma—,sold 1 million copies of his hit single “Yeke Yeke,” shared the stage with rai superstar Khaled in Central Park, New York, played and recorded with Youssou N’Dour and Manu Dibango, won a French Grammy and topped Billboard’s world music chart. After receiving the prestigious honor of directing the National Orchestra of Guinea in 1991, Mory recorded Nongo Village, about a village committed to teaching and preserving traditional Mande music and culture in West Africa. Unfortunately, the village has never been built, though Mory still champions the cause. In 2001, Mory was appointed ambassador of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, a position representative of his commitment to the social problems that plague Africa and the world. Mory’s more recent endeavors include his 2001 release Tamala, and his most recent acoustic CD, Sabou, an album that seems to indicate Mory’s transition from the “electric griot” towards a more traditionally-minded style. While Mory Kante’s contemporary releases haven’t enjoyed the international fame that “Yeke Yeke” received in 1987, they continue to reflect the musician’s keen ability to meld traditional instrument playing with modern styles and influences, a blend indicative of the varied and successful path that Mory’s musical career has taken.Contributed by: Miller Nuttle
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