Mémoire De Aboubacar Demba Camara - Bembeya Jazz National

🎺🥁🪘🎤🇬🇳 In 1973, the tragic death of Aboubacar Demba Camara in the taxi on his way back from Dakar airport was a major blow to Bembeya Jazz National. The historic Guinean orchestra, formed in 1961 in Beyla under the name Bembeya Jazz, lost its emblematic singer, who had notably influenced Salif Keita and the Super Rail Band from Bamako. His powerful voice and charisma on stage made him one of the leading figures of West African music in the 60s. So it was only natural, the following year, to release this tribute album – now available on cassette – featuring some of his most popular songs. The orchestra revisits « Regard sur le passé », an epic piece recounting the story of Samory Touré, hero of the resistance to French colonisation. It features the Mandingo afro-folk that made the orchestra such a success, mixing traditional instruments with modern arrangements, which earned them the Biennale des Arts medal twice and the title of « National ». The group, supported by President Sékou Touré as part of his cultural policy of African authenticity, became one of the most famous orchestras in West Africa. And Bembeya Jazz, whose sound and personnel have obviously evolved, is still going strong today, perpetuating the musical legacy of Aboubacar Demba Camara.