Sourakata Koité

Sourakata Koité Was Born In 1955 In Malème Senegal A Malinke-Speaking Area. As Sourakata Says "All The Koité Are Musicians!" He Is Indeed A Member Of A Family Of Djéli Or Griot In French The Hereditary Caste Of Musician-Storyteller-Historians In West Africa. His Musical Life Began Early At Age Three He Began To Play Kora A 21-String Harp With His Uncle And Brother At 11 He Performed With Four Members Of His Family As Les Griots Two Koras One Bala One Djembé And One Singer In A Piano-Bar Named Thiosan. When Asked About His First Musical Memories He Replies “We Can't Remember The Taste Of The Baby Bottle.” In 1977 A Six-Month Engagement At A Restaurant In Fréchencourt France Brought Him To Europe Leaving Dakar Where He Had Lived Since 1975 Having Experienced The Auspicious Launch Of Mbalax Music. He Moved To Paris In 1978 To Visit His Brother—who Was Touring With The National Ballet Of Senegal—and Stayed In The Capital On His Brother’s Advice. In Paris He Began To Play In Different Bands Including Les Lézards Les Ballets Kodia La Kola Le Griot De Paris Among Others And For Different Musicians Like Manu Dibango Jacques Higelin Touré Kounda Manfeï Obin Mangala Luther Allison Mah Damba And More. He Also Performed Alone And In A Duo With A Bala Traditional Xylophone Player. Sourakata Newly Situated In Paris Soaked Up The New Sounds He Heard There And Expanded His Musical Repertory. He Began To Compose His Own Songs And Build Koras Allowing Him To Play And Experiment With Different Tunings. Sourakata Is A True Innovator In That Regard He Conceived Of Two 37-String Koras Including A Double Handle One And Another With 22 Strings Some Of Which Are Metallic Guitar Strings And That Enhance That Characteristic Buzzy Sound . Sourakata Links This Idea To His Utilization Of Overdubs On Some Tracks During The Recording Of En Hollande In 1984. Additional Strings Expands The Possibilities He Says And Also The Sound Of His Instrument. “Kora Usually Has Very Little Bass It Seems That There's A Kora But Also A Piano In There They Are Two Four... Or Even Five!” Very Curious And Eclectic In His Tastes Sourakata Listens And Plays A Wide Range Of Styles—jazz Rock Reggae Funk Blues Classical. Relaxing In His Apartment Close To La Porte Des Lilas In Paris’ 20th Arrondissement He Listens To Bob Marley James Brown And The Online Malian Music Station Radio Wassoulo Excited By His Recent Return To International Performances. “People Should Participate During The Show! ” He Says “They Won't Be Able To Hide And It Will Give Me Courage!” read less