Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Les Etoiles de Boulbinet

Frank Bessem's
Musiques d'Afrique:

Les Etoiles de Boulbinet
(Guinée)

Musiques d'Afrique
Musiques de Guinée

Les Etoiles de Boulbinet was the first group that introduced a new wave in semi-traditional music in Guinea. Although not very well-known yet outside of the country, they are loved among Guineans for their music with lots of percussion and appealing lyrics in French and Sousou. The music is based on the folkore mainly from the coastal region.

Under the leadership of Papa Yan's, they recorded a first album « Wâa Mali » in 1997 in Abidjan. It was an instant success. Established in a neighbourhood "Petit Port" of Boulbinet, in the Kaloum municipality of the capital Conakry, they released several cassettes since, « Garafiri Barage » in 2000, and « Controlez » in 2004, produced by Boncana Maiga. It was said that this third album would come out on CD, but this has not been realised.
In recent years, competing bands have been created, the most famous being Les Espoirs de Coronthie, but in 2007, a new Boulbinet album will be released to accompany their 10 years of existence.

Photo: courtesy Lara Gonzalez

Musicians on Wâa Mali:
Abdoul Karim Camara, Mohamed Lamine Camara, Bangaly Sylla & Ibrahima Sory Bangoura (lead vocals); Abdoul Karim Soumah (gongoma), Sango Bangoura (bolon), Soriba Camara (kirindji), Kaba Kouyaté (balafon), Sarati Diabaté, Rakesh Touré, Lasso Diabaté (guitar), Abdoul Karim Camara (djimbé), Cheick Smith Cherif, Mohamed Lamine Camara (harmonica).

Established: 1997, in Conakry, Guinea.
Style: folkoric music.

Discography:

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
10 ans Chronos	2007		Local cassette
Controlez	2004	Amacif Productions BGDA 03/2004	Local cassette
Garafiri Barage	2000	Gris Gris Production	Local cassette
Wâa Mali	1997	DD United DDU 97	Local cassette