Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Fatou Linsan Barry

Frank Bessem's
Musiques d'Afrique:

Fatou Linsan Barry
(Guinée)

Musiques d'Afrique
Musiques de Guinée

Fatou Linsan Barry is one of the most popular Pular singers of Guinea in recent years. Along with other artists singing in the Pular language, such as Lega Bah, Binta Laaly Sow, Amadou Barry Accordeon, Petit Yero Bantinghel, Doura Barry, Maïmouna Barry and many others, Fatou Linsan imposed herself as an example for this style of music, so typical for Guinea. The music distinguishes itself from Malinké music by the use of the fula flute and by the specific rhythms.

Strangely enough, not much is written about her. She hails from the town of Linsan, hence her nickname, a small market town on the national road number one between Kindia and Mamou. It is known as the place where travellers stop to buy some food or fruits before continuing to the Fouta Djallon region (or when returning to Conakry).

Her first album « Linsan », recorded with the help of Pamphile de Souza and Djékoria Mory Kanté, was an instant success and popular songs of the album such as « Nabhorèlan », « Danko Dewinà » and « Moura Bounga » are still played at parties. A second album « Bounga Lèdjö », recorded at the famous JBZ studio in Abidjan encountered nearly the same public acclaim. She is starting to be invited by Guineans abroad to perform for Guineans living in the diaspora. In 2005 she was nominated for the Djembe d'or awards in Conakry for the category "best clip".

Sources: Radio Kankan [external link].

Musicians on the Bounga Lèdjö album:
Pamphile de Souza programming 'Linn'
Mohamed Tanaka Camara bass
Sandaly Diabaté solo guitar
Youssouf Diabaté, Mamadou Aliou Diallo guitar
Evariste Yacé keyboards
Abdoulaye Waaka Diallo percussion, calabash
Diakité Satigui flute
Fatou Linsan Barry lead vocals
Maïmouna Barry, Mimi Barry, Kadiatou Sidibé backing vocals
Pierre Debassi trumpet
Adjidan Agbassi trumpet
Marc Latruc alto sax, tenor sax

Born: in Linsan
Style: "electric" peul music / modern Guinean Fula pop.

Discography:

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
100 pour 100 Bounga Lèdjö	?	Cassette Super Selection
Linsan	[1999]	Cassette Prod. Mamadou Massy Diallo/Super Selection TMS 048