Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Saramaya

Frank Bessem's
Musiques d'Afrique:

Saramaya
(Burkina Faso)

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Saramaya is a group of four percussionists-singers and one female singer-danser from the town of Bobo-Dioulasso in the South-West of Burkina Faso. They play a traditional music using percussion instruments as well as the balafon. The band was created around 1998 by Désiré Ouattara, who was playing since 1993 with Farafina Lili led by Mahama Konaté. He participated in their concert tour in France in 1996 and 1997, after which he left the band and created Saramaya.
Most of Saramaya's members have also played in various other ensembles, such as Benkadi (Moussa Dembélé), Farafina Lili (Moussa Dembélé), Here Man Kono (Diakalia Diarra), Farafina Yelemba (Assita Sanou), Sababougnouma (Soungalo Sanou, Moussa Dembélé).

More information on Saramaya and their music can be found on the Saramaya website.

Members of Saramaya:
Désiré Ouattara djembé, barra, dum dum, vocals
Moussa Dembélé balafon, djembé, barra, dum dum, vocals
Soungalo Sanou balafon, dum dum, vocals
Diakalia Diarra dum-dum, n'goni, djembé, balafon
Assita Sanou maracas, vocals, danse

On the CD Mougnou, Drissa Zon was member in stead of Diakalia Diarra, and played the African violon (soukeu) and karian. Oumarou Bambara played as guest musician djembé, n'goni, barra, dum dum, karian.

Created: by Désiré Ouattara
Style: traditional percussion and balafon music.

Discography:

Title	Year	Label	Remarks
Mougnou (la patience)	2001	Autoproduction	CD	Buy this CD here
Benkadi	1998	Autoproduction	Cassette