Nimba and Felenko ~joy of living

The great mask, D'mba or Nimba of the Baga
 represents the mother of fertility, protector of pregnant women, and presides over all
agricultural ceremonies. The dancer, wearing a full raffia costume, carries the mask on his
shoulders, looking out through holes between the breasts. In use, such masks rise more
than eight feet above the ground; they often weigh more than eighty pounds.

" Nimba is the joy of living; it is the promise of abundant harvest"

The  Nimba  represents the abstraction of an ideal of the female role in
society. The Nimba is essentailly viewed as the vision of woman at her zenith of power,
beauty, and affective presence; rather than a goddess or spirit.

Typically, the Baga Nimba's hair is braided into parallel rows (represented by the
scarification on the head) which are similar to the patterns of agriculture grown in West
African fields. The face, and breasts of the Baga Nimba are decorated with scarification,
which embody the ability of the Baga Nimba to alter its condition to the natural
environment. Nimba's presence is exemplified in all aspects if baga life for she is present
publicly at weddings to give direction to the new union; at funerals to initiate the dead;
harvest to celebrate productivity; and planting to inspire her people to continue to
complete difficult tasks. Ultimately, Nimba is a reminder of the reverred qualities which
make up the Baga social system.

An embodiment of the goddess and of "mother earth," the Nimba mask was associated both with human procreation and with the fertility of the fields. According to nineteenth-century accounts written by travelers in the region, it was carried about in the marshes and tall grasses of the Baga rice paddies. A potent fertility symbol, the goddess Nimba was also invoked by infertile women in the Simo society. The headdress, in fact, represents an idealized female figure; the long, flat, pendulous breasts identify her as a mature woman who has given birth to many children and has nurtured them to adulthood.

The most monumental of ritual African masks, the Nimba mask towered eight feet above the ground when worn over the shoulders by a Baga dancer.

Unlike masked representations from other African cultures, which may represent ethereal spirits or ancestors, Nimba is not a "spirit," but instead is loosely described by the Baga themselves as simply an "idea."

Nimba is an abstraction of the ideal of the female role in Baga society. 

She is honored as the universal mother and is the vision of woman 

at the zenith of her power, beauty, and affective presence. 

Although Nimba is not a spiritual being in the Baga sense of the term, 

nor a deity, she is a being of undeniable spiritual power.

listening , reevaluating and enjoying again Kaloum Star

small biography and an amazing live

Lucky 45's

new link without problems

felenko

and the corrupted track 06-Gbin Gbin
for those who missed it

Bembeya Jazz National 10 Ans De Succès

In the aftermath of the Guinean Independence in 1958 and the encouragement of cultural pride,

 numerous bands sprang up throughout the country.

 The most popular was Bembeya Jazz National, formed by vocalist Aboubacar Dembar Camara in 1961. Specializing in modern arrangements of Manding classic tunes,

 Bembeya Jazz National won the first two national Biennale festivals in 1962 and 1964

 and was crowned National Orchestra in 1966. 

Initially a seven-piece group, featuring a Latin-flavored horn section of saxophone, trumpet,

 and clarinet, Bembeya Jazz National reached its apex with the addition 

of electric guitarist Sekou "Diamond Fingers" Diabate 

and lead singer Sekouba Bambino Diabate (no relation). 

Although prohibited from touring outside Guinea until the mid-'80s, Bembeya Jazz National 

continued to build a cult-like following in its home country.

 Bembeya Jazz National's most ambitious album, Regard Sur Le Passe,

 released in 1968, was a musical tribute to the memory of Samory Toure, 

who founded the Mande kingdom in 1870.

 A live album, 10 Ans De Succes, was recorded during a 1971 concert. 

A set-back for the band came in 1973 when Camara was killed in an auto accident

 on his way to a concert in Dakar. 

Although they remained together for another eight years, Bembeya Jazz National 

was unable to duplicate the success of their earliest years.

 The group disbanded in 1991 with Sekou Diabate

 and Sekouba Bambino Diabate going on to successful solo careers.

This is something very special: A live recording from Bembeya Jazz National's 

10 year jubilee concert in the "People's Palace" of Guinea's capitol, Conakry in 1971.

The band stood at the pinnacle of its career, so this is a historical record in the best sense of the word. The recording is impressive: an audience of 2500, including the Politbureau(!) in Guinea's Democracy Party, are enthusiastically in place. The band performs with full accoutrements - the rhythm section consisting of several types of drums, a complete horn section, and not least the number one guitarist, Sekou Diabate. This is an incredible disk ..................

.................source 

eternal music from one of Africa's top orchestras

of all time 

thanks to RadioAfrica1

10 ans