About this concert
Sioen plays Graceland In 1986 trok Paul Simon naar Zuid-Afrika, voor de opnames van het album ‘Graceland‘. Meer dan 20 jaar later ging ook Sioen naar het land van Nelson Mandela en gospel voor de opnames van ‘Calling Up Soweto‘. Sioen, in de voetsporen van Paul Simon… Het album ‘Graceland’ herbergt enkele grote hits die iedereen kent: ‘You Can Call Me All’, ‘Diamonds On The Soles Of Her Shoes’, ‘Under African Skies’ … maar Sioen leerde het volledige album pas echt goed kennen toen hij zelf naar Zuid-Afrika trok. Op vraag van Oxfam ging hij in 2007 voor ‘One Day For Another World’ (Gentse Feesten) een eerste keer naar Soweto, de bekendste township van Johannesburg. De interactie met plaatselijke muzikanten werkte zo aanstekelijk dat Sioen besliste om er een volledig nieuw album op te nemen, toevallig in dezelfde studio waar ‘Graceland’ werd ingeblikt. Paul Simon verbaasde vriend en vijand met een unieke sound: moeiteloos combineerde hij zijn muzikale voetafdruk met deze van verschillende Zuid-Afrikaanse topmuzikanten, die hij ter plaatse leerde kennen. ‘Graceland’ werd ook een controversiële plaat: midden jaren tachtig tierde de apartheid in Zuid-Afrika nog welig. Zowel voor- als tegenstanders van het apartheidsregime drukten hun ongenoegen over Graceland uit. Met deze plaat bleek Paul Simon Zuid-Afrika echter eindelijk een gezicht en een stem te geven in het buitenland en kregen Zuid-Afrikaanse artiesten de kans om internationaal op de kaart te staan. Sioen, die als geëngageerde singer-songwriter veel gelijkenissen vertoont met Paul Simon, werd in 2016 door Festival Van Vlaanderen gevraagd om het volledige album ‘Graceland’ te vertolken met zijn Zuid-Afrikaanse vrienden. Het concert werd lovend onthaald. Het Nieuwsblad kopte: ‘Zuid-Afrika was nog nooit zo dichtbij’. En Sioen voegde er aan toe: ‘Een droom die waarheid werd’. Nu dus ook bij ons. Voor de gelegenheid inviteert Sioen opnieuw de Zuid-Afrikaanse backing vocals uit Soweto, N’Faly Kouyaté uit Guinea (Afro Celt Sound System) en Rony Verbiest op accordeon en saxofoon. Frederik Sioen: stem & gitaar Tom Goethals: gitaar Jan Roelkens: toetsen PJ Seaux: basgitaar Pieter De Wilde: drums Stella Khumalo: backing vocals Duduzile Majola: backing vocals Vuyo Tshuma: backing vocals Vus’umuzi Nhlapo: backing vocals N’Faly Kouyaté: African percussion Rony Verbiest: accordeon, saxofoon, klarinet & mondharmonica
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N'Faly Kouyate Biography
The winner of « Songlines Music Awards » (with ACSS, 2017), ’Talent of Guinea’ (Paris, March 2015, Best group) and again nominated for the Guinean Music Awards (November 2015), N'Faly Kouyaté, is a multi-talented artist coming from a deeply traditional background.
Recently nominated as ‘Ambassador of the Intercultural Dialogue’ in Belgium, winner of the 'Guinée Music Award’ 2012, nominated for the 'Octaves de la Musique 2012' in Belgium, nominated as « Talent Acoustique » on TV5 Monde, he released his new album «CHANGE» on 5th August 2015 in London.
Due to his dexterity and elegance in impassioned playing of the kora, N’Faly Kouyaté became also known as the „Jimi Hendrix of the kora” and «the face» of Afro Celt Sound System. Already in 1999, their projects achieved a Golden Record and in 1999 and 2001 they were even nominated for the Grammy Award.
He has now branched out into a new style called AFROTRONIX. This style is deeply rooted in African music and draws on polyphony and electronic music.
N'Faly Kouyaté is an artist of commitment and his music invites us to dance, but the lyrics are far from frivolous, addressing subjects such as AIDS, the sale of arms, abuse of power and the change that each of us needs to make in our lives on his new album CHANGE.
As the son of the famous “Konkoba” Kabinet Kouyaté from Guinea, he was traditionally brought up as a Djeli (Griot), an ambassador of the Mandingo culture. The Griot (which means in his language Mandinka « Blood of the society » because they are everywhere like the blood in the body) has been a life library, history teller, counsellor of the King and the population. You can compare his role to the celtic bards or even a journalist in our times. Thus, he stands in line with professional musicians who have for centuries been an indispensable part of West African culture.
Konkoba is a superior grade of griots. Grade rare (there exist only about five Konkobas since the 11th century). Konkoba Kabinet acquired this grade through difficult tests and a perfect mastery of the secrets of life, and understanding of the occult sciences. N’Faly has been initiated by his father to follow up this old tradition. He is in the line of heritage for the Konkoba.
As a griot (or “guardian of the culture”) N’Faly Kouyaté has taken on the responsibility of preserving the cultural heritage of artists, and in particular the musical traditions of the Mandingo Empire in West Africa. His aim is to develop a deeper understanding of these traditions and, above all, to share his passion for his own history and musical legacy. Since 1996, he is director of his own african music school « NAMUN School » where students can learn about african traditions, history, instruments (like the kora, the balafon, doundoun, …) and polyphonic singing.
He founded in 2011 a festival, « FestiKONKOBA », panafrican festival of arts and culture, in Brussels and Guinea.
Since long time, N'Faly Kouyaté is engaged in humanitarian projects. He brought electricity to his community and started recently a project of water adduction in his village. (more information about this project called « THE SOURCE » following within the next days)
Some Milestones:
2011 Release CD Kora Strings (Afroclassic - mix between symphonic orchestra, african musicians and gospel singers), tour in Jamaica
2012 Formula 1, Singapore, tour in South Africa
2013 Concert and Gala for an Economic Forum at the presence of HR Prince Charles, PM David Cameron, PM Malaysia and many other Presidents and high personalities
2014 Production of a new album, tours in Malaysia, Singapore,
2015 Release of his newest album CHANGE in August in London, tour in South Africa
Read MoreRecently nominated as ‘Ambassador of the Intercultural Dialogue’ in Belgium, winner of the 'Guinée Music Award’ 2012, nominated for the 'Octaves de la Musique 2012' in Belgium, nominated as « Talent Acoustique » on TV5 Monde, he released his new album «CHANGE» on 5th August 2015 in London.
Due to his dexterity and elegance in impassioned playing of the kora, N’Faly Kouyaté became also known as the „Jimi Hendrix of the kora” and «the face» of Afro Celt Sound System. Already in 1999, their projects achieved a Golden Record and in 1999 and 2001 they were even nominated for the Grammy Award.
He has now branched out into a new style called AFROTRONIX. This style is deeply rooted in African music and draws on polyphony and electronic music.
N'Faly Kouyaté is an artist of commitment and his music invites us to dance, but the lyrics are far from frivolous, addressing subjects such as AIDS, the sale of arms, abuse of power and the change that each of us needs to make in our lives on his new album CHANGE.
As the son of the famous “Konkoba” Kabinet Kouyaté from Guinea, he was traditionally brought up as a Djeli (Griot), an ambassador of the Mandingo culture. The Griot (which means in his language Mandinka « Blood of the society » because they are everywhere like the blood in the body) has been a life library, history teller, counsellor of the King and the population. You can compare his role to the celtic bards or even a journalist in our times. Thus, he stands in line with professional musicians who have for centuries been an indispensable part of West African culture.
Konkoba is a superior grade of griots. Grade rare (there exist only about five Konkobas since the 11th century). Konkoba Kabinet acquired this grade through difficult tests and a perfect mastery of the secrets of life, and understanding of the occult sciences. N’Faly has been initiated by his father to follow up this old tradition. He is in the line of heritage for the Konkoba.
As a griot (or “guardian of the culture”) N’Faly Kouyaté has taken on the responsibility of preserving the cultural heritage of artists, and in particular the musical traditions of the Mandingo Empire in West Africa. His aim is to develop a deeper understanding of these traditions and, above all, to share his passion for his own history and musical legacy. Since 1996, he is director of his own african music school « NAMUN School » where students can learn about african traditions, history, instruments (like the kora, the balafon, doundoun, …) and polyphonic singing.
He founded in 2011 a festival, « FestiKONKOBA », panafrican festival of arts and culture, in Brussels and Guinea.
Since long time, N'Faly Kouyaté is engaged in humanitarian projects. He brought electricity to his community and started recently a project of water adduction in his village. (more information about this project called « THE SOURCE » following within the next days)
Some Milestones:
2011 Release CD Kora Strings (Afroclassic - mix between symphonic orchestra, african musicians and gospel singers), tour in Jamaica
2012 Formula 1, Singapore, tour in South Africa
2013 Concert and Gala for an Economic Forum at the presence of HR Prince Charles, PM David Cameron, PM Malaysia and many other Presidents and high personalities
2014 Production of a new album, tours in Malaysia, Singapore,
2015 Release of his newest album CHANGE in August in London, tour in South Africa
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