Seckou Keita‘s new single “Ni Mala Beugué” is now available through Hudson Records. This gently paced love song features a distinctive Senegalese afropop arrangement, combining kora, electric piano, and traditional percussion. It is the first track from his forthcoming album, Homeland, set for release this October. This album marks a bold new direction for the kora virtuoso.
Keita and his Homeland Band will kick off this new project with a UK tour this summer. For the first time in a decade, Keita will perform his kora while standing, a tradition inspired by his uncle and mentor, the late Solo Cissokho, a renowned Senegalese pop star of the 1990s. The tour features an electrifying six-piece band, including drummer Matar N’Diongue, percussionist Kémo Cissokho, keyboardist Moussa N’Gom, guitarist Moustapha Gaye, bassist Modou Gueye, and vocalist Korka Dieng. This lineup promises an explosive live show, enhanced by Keita’s 22-string kora and soulful vocals.
Since arriving in the UK in 1999, Keita has embarked on a creative journey, expanding the idiomatic scope of his instrument.He is celebrated for his innovative tunings and virtuosity. Keita has performed globally as a solo artist and with his groundbreaking quintet, captivating audiences at events such as WOMAD, Hay, Glastonbury, Tokyo Jazz, Chicago World Music Festival, Sydney International, and Montreal Jazz Festivals.
Keita’s acclaimed collaborations span various genres, including jazz, pop, Latin, folk, and classical music. Notable partnerships include Damon Albarn & Africa Express, Welsh harpist Catrin Finch, Cuban pianist Omar Sosa, the AKA Trio with Italian guitarist Antonio Forcione and Brazilian percussionist Adriano Adewale, Paul Weller and the Folk Collective, and The Lost Words, Spell Songs (2019), featuring Robert McFarlane’s words and Jackie Morris’s artwork. In 2023, Keita released African Rhapsodies, a work for kora and orchestra arranged by Italian composer and bassist Davide Mantovani, recorded with the BBC Concert Orchestra.
Author: World Music Central News Room
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