14. Kasse Mady DiabatéKela Tradition

He was one of the great voices of Africa and his death [last year] was a great loss for Mali. But he did a lot for Mali, in the domain of the jelis [the griots] he’s a monument for us. It’s rare to hear a voice like that. He didn’t have the same recognition abroad as Salif but in Mali he’s super important. On this album he talks about [the village of] Kéla, his origins and the real jeliya [the griot’s art]. But his daughter [Hawa Kassé Mady] is there and she’s trying to continue his legacy, so it’s not entirely lost. We won’t forget him anyway.