Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Daouda

Frank Bessem's
Musiques d'Afrique:

Daouda
(Côte d'Ivoire)

Musiques d'Afrique
Musiques de Côte d'Ivoire

Daouda has been very successful in the 1980s in the whole of francophone Africa. His music is a mix of mandingo melodies and makossa and soukous rhythms, with back-up of Cameroonian musicians on some albums and poignant and humourous lyrics in French.

Daouda Koné worked as a young TV technician in Abidjan. He was also an amateur singer and guitarist, and once someone heard him singing. Soon, he was offered a TV spot as well as a contract to make a first record. A first single, « Les Gbakas D'Abidjan » was already a success in 1976. He decided to turn to music professionally, but he released a few albums before really breaking through with « Le Sentimental '83 », a re-recording of his first album, « Mon Coeur Balance », this time with Souzy Kasseya on guitar, Alhadji Toure on bass, Jimmy and Fredo (one of the hottest horn sections in Africa) and arranger Jimmy Hyacinthe. This was a tremendous success in all Francophone countries. It had been released again in the UK in 1985 on Stern's. In 1984, he recorded « La Femme de Mon Patron » with mainly Cameroonian musicians hence a strong makossa feel. Unfortunately, at the end of the 1980s his popularity started to decline. In 1995, Daouda migrated to the United States, where he didn't succeed in pursuing his music career. In 2007, however, he recorded a new album in Abidjan with producer Jean-Aristide Dico.

Born: in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire of Burkinabe parents, as Daouda Tou Koné
Style: afro-zouk, makossa

Musicians on «Yougou-Yougou Dokaflé» (1979):
Bentho: saxophone;
Cherif Mohamed Smith: Orgue, piano;
Rovi: drums;
Agbahissa: bass;
Daouda: acoustic guitar;
Vewouyi Yao D.: solo guitar;
Philippe: flute.
Recorded in Lomé, Togo

Musicians on «La femme de mon patron» (1984):
Freddy, Man Ouari, Hamid Belhouine: brass;
Marcel de Souza: percussion;
Valéry Lobé: drums;
Touré Aladji: bass;
Toto Guillaume, Jimmy Hyacinthe, Jules Kamga, J. Malekani: guitar.
Recorded in studio Félicité

Discography:

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
La misère et la mer	2008	Jadcom
The Very Best of Daouda	2003	Music Africana MUSAFR006CD	CD compilation
Special Best of Sentimental	1998	Afro Rythmes 2263-2	CD compilation
Le Sentimental	1985	Stern's ST1008	Re-issue of Le Sentimental '83
La femme de mon patron	1984	DEG Music DM 017 / TKD 002
Amina Fanta - Mon Coeur Balance	1983	Maikano MAILPS 1039	Also: Le Sentimental '83, re-recorded first album
Salsa de Niangologo	1982	DEG Music DM 006 / SA300005
Ce que femme veut	19??	Bade Stars Music BSM 994 / AM032
Gnama-Gnama Sentimental	1980	Editions Mademba MD 1776 (Gabon)
Yougou-Yougou Dokaflé / Viva la Musica	1979	Maikano MAI LP 1012
Mon Coeur Balance	1978		First edition