Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Touré Kunda

Frank Bessem's
Musiques d'Afrique:

Touré Kunda
(Senegal)

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Touré Kunda are well known for their easily accessible music mixing Senegalese traditions (mainly from the Casamance region) with fusion elements into a sort of Senegalese middle-of-the-road. Their albums sold very well in the 1980s, especially in France.
Amadou Touré, who joined the group soon after its creation in 1979 contributed a lot to the artistic face of Touré Kunda. Tragically, he died during a concert of a heart attack in January 1983. Their next album, Amadou Tilo, was dedicated to Amadou.

In 1984, Ousmane Touré joins the band, and the following album Casamance au clair de lune was a tribute to their home region, the Casamance. In the following years Touré Kunda concentrate on maintaining their commercial success with the 1984 live album (sold 200,000 times) and the album Natalia, produced by Bill Laswell, as well as some reissues on CD with their best successes of the preceding years. They made successful tours in France, West Africa, Japan and the USA.

Towards the end of the 1980s, they were at the top of their success, and later albums did not reach the same level of success as the previous ones. Touré Kunda now only consists of two brothers, Ismaila and Sixu Tidiane Touré.

Formed: in 1979 by Ismaila and Sixu Touré
Style: Fusion of Senegalese rhythms (Djabadong, mbalax), pop, reggae and latin

Discography:

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
Santhiaba	2008	Wagram	To be released 19 May
Le World... Afrique	2001	Suave 6942 071	Compilation
Terra Saabi	2000	Edel Records
Légende	1999	ABN Music/ Une Musique U1013-2
The best of Touré Kunda	1998	Arcade 303816-2	Compilation
Okunaya	1998	Movie Play Gold MPG 74048	Basically the same album as Toubab Bi
Mouslaï	1996	WEA 063015506-2
The Touré Kunda collection	1996	Putumayo PUTU 121-2	Compilation, also on Sony Music 99172
The Dance of the Leaves	1994	Restless	Compilation, also on Celluloid (1999)
Sili Béto	1993	Trema 710405
Sounké - En Concert	1991	Trema 710344	Live
Salam	1990	Trema 710321	Also Worldmusic/Ausfahrt (D, 1991)
Karadindi	1988	Celluloid 6137	LP (basically the same album as Toubab Bi)
Toubab Bi	1987	Trema 710233	LP and CD
Best of Touré Kunda	1987	Celluloid 66805-2	Compilation (CD version dates from 1996)
Touré Kunda 83 84	1986?	Celluloid 66781-2	Compilation of older songs
Touré Kunda 81 82	1986?	Celluloid 66779-2	Compilation of older songs from E'mma Africa and Turu
Natalia	1985	Celluloid 66741-2
Live Paris-Ziguinchor	1984	Celluloid 66722-2	LP, CD re-edition 2002: Celluloid 67038-2
Casamance au clair de lune	1984	Celluloid CEL 6663	LP
Amadou Tilo	1983	Celluloid CEL 6646	LP
Touré Kunda (Turu)	1982?	Celluloid CEL 6599	LP, CD re-edition 2003: Celluloid 67045-2
E'mma Africa	1980	Celluloid CEL 6549	LP, CD re-edition 2003: Celluloid 67041-2
Ismaïl & Sixu: Mandinka Dong	1979	Esperance	LP