Guinea

Guinea was one of the monsters of West African music in the 60s and 70s. In the late 1950's, France proposed to its colonial holdings in Africa the loaded question of independence, and Guinea was the only country to split from France, in 1958. France quickly cut all political and economic ties with the newly independent country. At the same time, Sekou Toure, the Guinean president, sought to rid his country of French and European influence, especially in cultural areas like music. He instituted a program called Authenticite, which lended state support to the formation of regional and national orchestras that heavily utilized African rhythms and styles. These were the Guinean dance bands of the 60s and 70s such as Bembeya Jazz National, Balla et ses Balladins, Keletigui et ses Tambourinis, Horoya Band National, 22 Band de Kankan, etc. Although there was a heavy focus on more "traditional" African styles, the bands widely used the commonplace "western" instrumentation such as electric guitar and brass instruments, although appropriated to be used in an African style. The bands also had a great love for Latin American music, specifically Afro-Cuban, as they rightly recognized their own rhythms in the music from across the Atlantic, so some Cuban influence can be found in the music as well. Though Sekou Toure's state socialist regime in Guinea was unfortunately very repressive and an economic failure which set back Guinea for decades, it however produced a huge output of music through its Authenticite programs that kicked fucking ass. Some of my favorite music of all time.

Here are 2-cd compilations of two of the major bands of that period, Balla et ses Balladins and Keletigui et ses Tambourinis, considered rivals in many ways, mainly because they split off from the same band, Syli Orchestre National.


Balla et ses Balladins - the Syliphone Years
CD 1
CD 2


Keletigui et ses Tambourinis - the Syliphone Years
CD 1
CD 2