Maciré Sylla

Maciré Sylla
Mandingue Afropop / Guinea Conakry
Macire Sylla is a female vocalist hailing from Conakry, the capital of Guinea. This
country is depositary of the oldest musical heritage post-colonial and has been
practicing a considerable influence on many of its neighboring West African countries
since its independence in 1958.
Although born in Conakry, Maciré spent all her childhood with her grandparents in a
village where her grandmother taught her ancestral songs and melodies.
When she was ten, Maciré entered the Soleil d'Afrique ballet in Conakry. She started
receiving training in singing, dancing and interpretation in plays of theatrical music. At
this school, she acquired a powerful theatrical expression.
Further to a contest in 1986, she joined the Guinean band Fatala (who recorded for
Peter Gabriel’s label Real World). After several tours in Europe and North America,
Maciré felt the time had come to realize her own dreams and lead her own career.
That's what happened in 1997 when she released her first album “Mariama” (Arcade)
which became a hit across the vast West Coast of Africa (over 200,000 copies sold in three months!). And the
award of best Guinean singer in 1998. This album will be followed by Maya Irafama (2001), Sarefi (2004),
Massa (2005) and the brand new Talitha (2011).
The music of Maciré Sylla comes in the wake of an urban Africa, but still connected to its traditional
fundamentals. It is a combination of all her influences into a lively music that bears the mark of all the
encounters she has made on African roads and European motorways.
© Simon Steiner
Maciré Sylla est originaire de Conakry, la capitale de la Guinée, un pays
dépositaire du plus ancien héritage musical post-colonial et qui a exercé,
depuis son indépendance en 1958, une influence considérable sur beaucoup
des pays voisins de l’Ouest Africain. Bien que née à Conakry, Maciré passe
cependant toute son enfance avec ses grands-parents au village. Sa grandmère lui transmet patiemment un grand nombre de chants et de mélodies
traditionnelles ancestrales.
A l’âge de dix ans, Maciré Sylla entre au ballet Soleil d’Afrique à Conakry.
Elle chante, danse et joue des rôles dans des pièces musicales théâtralisées.
À cette école, elle acquiert une puissante expression scénique.
En 1986 lors d’un concours, elle est engagée par la troupe Fatala (groupe
guinéen qui a enregistré pour le label Real World de Peter Gabriel). Après
plusieurs tournées en Europe et en Amérique du Nord, Maciré a senti que le
temps était venu de réaliser ses propres rêves et de poursuivre sa propre
carrière. C’est ce qui arrive en 1997 quand elle sort son premier album,
Mariama, qui devient un tube immense dans toute l’Afrique de l’Ouest (plus
de 200.000 exemplaires vendus en trois mois !) et la sacre meilleure chanteuse de
l’année 1998 en Guinée. Cet album sera suivi de Maya Irafama (2001), de
Sarefi (2004), de Massa (2005) et maintenant de Talitha (2011).
La musique de Maciré s’inscrit dans le sillon d’une Afrique urbaine mais
encore et toujours connectée à ses fondamentaux. Au programme, une
combinaison de toutes ses influences, une musique sinueuse et chaloupée marquée par tous ceux et celles
qu’elle a croisés aussi bien sur les pistes d’Afrique que sur les autoroutes européennes.
© Marc Vanappelghem
Talitha
(DFCD05)
Djembé Faré,
2011
Distribution :
Disques Office (CH)
Massa
Sarefi
Maya Irafama
Mariama
(Djembé-Faré/Nocturne 2005)
(Ethnomad/Arion 2004)
(Djembé-Faré/COD 2000)
(Djembé-Faré 1996)
www.maciresylla.com
www.myspace.com/maciresylla - www.facebook.com/maciresyllamusic
Label : DJEMBÉ FARÉ
Tel: +41(0)79 323 58 75
E-mail: [email protected]
Booking & management :
Franck VORGERS / PURE SON’G
Tel : +33(0)1 53 21 06 97 / +33(0)6 62 43 06 97
www.puresong.fr + www.myspace.com/puresong
INSIDE WORLD MUSIC (USA) about/sur «Talitha »:
"The bubbling percussion, sweet melodies, and iconic voice make Talitha a
must-have among Guinean, African, and world music recordings. [..]Talitha
seems to cram alot of musical intelligence into one place without sacrificing
quality. [..] At any rate, Talitha is a recording with an Afropop beat that is
here to stay. Matthew Forss, Inside World Music (Apr 21, 2011)
CD ROOTS (USA) about/sur «Massa »:
Maciré Sylla is one of West Africa's leading voices, whose CDs have been bestsellers in Africa and, in recent years, Europe. Maciré has toured throughout
Europe and Africa with the band Djembé-Faré, led by Cédric Asséo, and has
received critical acclaim for her colorful show, full of emotion and sensitivity. Her
voice conveys the influence of multiple cultures and improbable encounters
© F Vorgers
where tradition and modernity become entangled. Her first release for
l'Empreinte Digitale, Massa, features her signature surprising mixture of harmonious and energetic songs and dances, linking the sound of African
contemporary music with modern Western melodies.
SONGLINES about/sur « Sarefi »:
"Maciré Sylla and Cédric Asséo (who delivers some stunning contributions on the Maninka flute) have created a set of intricate arrangements that shine a
wholly new light on the vibrant musical traditions of this West African nation."
fROOTS (2001) about/sur «Maya Irafama »:
« Maya Irafama uses both African and European musicians in the band, and at guess that's one of the reasons
everything fires on all cylinders - everybody's doing what they're good at and comes naturally [..]Maciré Sylla
herself has a good expressive voice straight out of djelimousso central casting - she's not from a griot family
but learned the old songs from her rural grandmother - and belts it well.»
Ian Anderson
NEWARK STAR LEDGER (USA) about/sur «Maya Irafama »:
« Sylla (who co-wrote all ten songs with music director Cedric Asseo) is a potent, emotional frontwoman in the
belting style of Aretha Franklin.. »
ALL MUSIC GUIDE (USA) about/sur « Maya Irafama »:
« If you can envision a West African pop equivalent of Evelyn "Champagne" King or Chaka Khan, you can
imagine what Maya Irafama sounds like.[..] Enthusiastically recommended to lovers of African pop, Maya
Irafama is an exciting example of the influence that black music from the Americas is having thousands of miles
away in Africa. »
© Emmy Lokin
© BNB
BBC - AFRICA ON YOUR STREET (2001) about/sur « Maya Irafama »:
« Her sound is eclectic and brings in influences from reggae to electric pop music. Traditional instruments such
as the fulani flute and Mande guitar, combine with Macire’s soulful voice and mix beautifully. Many compare her
to the legendary voice of Angelique Kidjo but ultimately she creates and stays true to her undeniably smooth
style. » Chino Odimba
AFROPOP about/sur « Maya Irafama »:
« This native of Conakry, Guinea, blends Soussou and Fulani tradition with enough soul and funk to rival the
pop diva of Benin, Angelique Kidjo.[..] The band is hot, and Sylla's voice very strong, with a tough attitude and
clear precision. »
fROOTS (May 1997) about/sur « Mariama »:
« Even the bursts of BSE guitar mayhem that crop up in tracks like Di Langara, and the odd
patch of keyboard twiddling have appropriate charm. Possibly because it’s all real instruments,
the band lays down some seriously tight, pounding grooves, often driven by Swiss musician
Cédric Asseo’s eponymous djembe, doundoumba and a good line in desert flute - he studied
for quite a while in Guinea. […] For an apparently self-produced outing, this is impressive
indeed.» Ian ANDERSON
AMINA (France) about/sur « Talitha»:
"un petit bijou [..] qui mêle de façon presque divine le chaloupé d'une musique
sahélienne et mandingue et le groove électrisant des sons modernes"
Renée Mendy - Amina janvier/January 2012
AFRIQUE ASIE (France) about/sur « Talitha»:
« l’étoile soussou impose ses débits incandescents aux aigus funambulesques sur fond
d’une musique vibrante de nostalgie » Luigi Elongui - Afrique Asie déc. Dec. 2011
© Simon Steiner
MONDOMIX about/sur « Massa»:
« Particulièrement frais et soigneusement arrangés, les dix titres de ce « Massa » qui allie avec
grâce subtilité de la tradition et tension urbaine » Squaaly
ETHNOTEMPOS (France) about/sur « Sarefi»:
« Maciré présente un métissage très réussi entre la musique traditionnelle et le jazz, avec des
textes réalistes et positifs sur le bienfait, l’amour, la mort, l'humanité, la femme, le désintérêt..."
LE TEMPS (CH) :
« Autre bête de scène, Maciré Sylla est de ces femmes qui portent en elle, malgré l’exil prolongé,
un patrimoine vivant… »
© Biljara
LA TRIBUNE DE GENÈVE (CH) :
« il est difficile de résister à l’entrain et à la richesse sonore du pétillant nouvel album de la
Guinéenne Maciré Sylla » mai/May 2005
Some venues / Références scéniques :
in France and Switzerland: Afro-Pfingsten (CH), Famili Jazz (Guise), Maison de Bégon (Loire Valley), Centre Fleury Goutte d’Or Barbara (Paris), Festival
Afriques (Lille), Les Créatives (Onex), Traversées Africaines (Castres), Africajarc, Complet'Mandingue (Brittany), Musik'O Pluriel (Charnay lès Mâcon),
Rencontre Toucouleurs, Festival de la Cité (Lausanne), Tambour Battant (Geneva), World Music Festiv’Alpes (CH), Métissages (Geneva), Village Tropical
(Geneva), Chat Noir (Carouge), le Manège (CH-Onex), Dampfschiff Brugg (CH)
And also: San Marino Etnofestival, Festad'Africafestival (Rome), Roots - Musiche d’Africa (I), Jazz Dagen (NL), Hashiba (NL), Amsterdam Roots Festival (NL),
Pireneos Sur (ES), Club Milos (GR), Festival Rawafid Azawan (Morocco), Afrika Karibik Festival (D), Masala (D), Afro Caribbean Festival (D), Africa Alive (D)...