4. Mangala CamareMinye Minye

The cowboy of Malian music! The greatest voice in Malian music, he had an extraordinary voice. He’s a griot as well. 

With his group Donké he released an album called Paris-Bamako. How important is Paris for Malian musicians?

France represents a lot for Malian musicians. Mangala lived in France for a very long time, so he would have met other musicians that weren’t Malian. Paris is like a great crossroads for African music, all the African cultures meet in Paris so when musicians go there it allows them to come into contact with other cultures, and from there the door is open to other continents, more easily from Paris than from Africa. Mangala spent a long time in France, Salif (Keita) and Mory Kanté too. They’re people who came here very young a lived here for a long time, and their music really evolved in France, in Paris.