The big Debademba family will release “Sanikoya” their third album on Friday, September 22 (Dankama / InOuïe).
Rare are virtuoso musicians that think and act collectively and believe in a group spirit. Patiently, with perseverance and focus, Abdoulaye Traorécarried the DEBADEMBA project to make it one of today’s most appreciated incarnations of the new generation of West African artists.
After two albums produced by Chapa Blues, DEBADEMBA returns with a new opus “Sanikoya” released by Abdoulaye Traoré‘s own label Dankama. This album makes it a point of honor to recall the positive forces that have enabled entire generations to live in peace in West Africa. Some traditions break the tensions of society and should be passed on to future generations: gently teasing each other on family name or ethnic origin has always been and should remain a game. Traditionally “Sanikoya” forbids any internal quarrel and guarantees the stability of the people. This ancient tradition is disappearing today, an unfortunate loss in an ever increasingly tense world. Ben L’Oncle Soul, guesting on this opus, emphasizes the fact that this philosophy leads to the discovery of other souls: “my soulmate, my soulmate, she comes from afar, she comes from afar”.
The album also addresses other themes that are summed up in positive philosophies of life through which man can find peace and courage: help yourself and heaven will help you (“Dakama”), do not seek to change people (“Boinofai”), with will and courage one can succeed (“Saikain”). And finally, Debademba pays tribute to Mandela (“Mandela”) and women (“Ah les femmes”).
As usual, Abdoulaye Traoré, composer of this new opus, takes us across Africa with diverse rhythms such as djoulaba (Ivory Coast / Burkina Faso), ziglibithy / bikoutsi (Ivory Coast / Cameroon), borowi (a traditional dance with masks), takamba (Northern Mali), badjoulou (rhythm played for great men throughout West Africa) and blues-rock.
In this album Abdoulaye Traoré is surrounded by Mohamed Diaby (vocals), Bisou Bass (bass), William Ombe (drums), Adama Bilorou (percussion), Virna Nova (guitar on “Ah les femmes”), Malaika Lokua (chorus on “Dakama” and “Mandela”), Valentin Ceccaldi (cello on “Mandela”) and invites Ben L’Oncle Soul for two featurings, on “Sanikoya” and “Saikain”.
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