Artwork Lamomali Airplanes
Sensitive sounds of the kora underlining French chansons and Bambaraian singing (one of Mali’s languages) along rock elements and dance floor rhythms – When does one get such a diverse blend of different genres and approaches to music on to one stage?
The individual musicians that gather around the ensemble Lamomali, are some of the most skilled musicians, well-known in their countries and beyond. They grouped together for the project of this LP: among others Fatoumata Diawara, Youssou N’Dour, Toumani & Sidike Diabaté. Not only do they musically combine their expertise and individual skills, but fore more transmit the idea of compatibility between tradition and modernity and thus generate a new form of communication. „Bal de Bamako” illustrates this vivid interplay and musical unification best.
The French Rock-Singer of Lebanese-Egyptian descent Matthieu Chadid, alias -M-, was the initiator of Lamomali’s assemblance. Through his affinity with Mali’s culture and his long-term friendship with one of Mali’s renowned Kora musicians – Toumani Diabaté – , he wanted to pay tribute to Mali’s music. This, in consequence, explains the group’s name Lamomali, referring to the phonic contraction of the phrase ‘L’âme au Mali’: The soul in Mali.
In addition, the record had its ultimate trigger when Mali’s political situation became very aggravate as Mali had to suffer from 155 terrorist attacks between January and September 2017. Thus Matthieu Chadid wanted to join with the Malian people. They first recorded a studio album Lamomali, but also published a second version Lamomali Airplanes, the recording of the concert in Bamako on July 14th 2017.
The most important piece of musical inheritance of Mali’s culture is a 21-stinged bridge harp, called kora and has a strong identity-forming meaning in the West-African societies. The ‘kora’ is the instrument of the ‘griots’ – West African singers and storytellers have always made sure to spread the traditional knowledge of their culture. The musical arrangements of Lamomali revolve around the kora, played by a well known musician and arguably its most significant Toumani Diabaté. While he is revered as the malic guardian of the ancient musical tradition, he also frequently crosses and redraws its traditional musical boundaries such as the project with Lamomali.
The Kora as the leading instrument in Lamomali, implies the powerful identity transmitted by the instrument for the people of Mali. The song „Manitoumani” in particular illustrates -M-‘s intention to bring forth Mali’s historical background. It also aims to reprocess the anger but also the joy of Malian people:
I hear in your kora sometimes your anger
I hear in your kora your beating heart, my brother
I hear in your kora the child who goes to war
I hear in your kora your beating heart, my brother’
[….]
Even if I also hear the storm moving away
Our soothed drunkenness, unlimited life
[….]
Beyond the disasters of our biographies
Above the walls of our false lives
[….]
‘By wanting to change the world
It’s the world that changed him’
While the record is highlighting the combability of diverse musical identities, each one of the featured musicians does have a track in which they stand out individually. In particular, the breathtaking soli of Fatoumata Diawara in Fasso or the French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky in „Le Bonheur”. A special highlight for me however is „Lampedusa”, a track performed by Toumani Diabaté and his son Sidiki, illustrating the Koras fascinating power playing as softly but captivating.
Lamomali Airplanes picks up the listener by its infectious energy and meaningful purpose each of the musicians shows. You immediately feel part of its unifying power, no matter if you had been present at the concert or if you have listened to the record on numerous times like I have.
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