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Saramaya
(Burkina Faso)

Djembe
Biography
Saramaya is a group of four percussionists-singers and one female singer-dancer from the town of Bobo-Dioulasso in the South-West of Burkina Faso. They play a traditional music using percussion instruments as well as the balafon. The band was created around 1998 by Désiré Ouattara, who was playing since 1993 with Farafina Lili, led by Mahama Konaté. He participated in their concert tour in France in 1996 and 1997, after which he left the band and created Saramaya.

Most of Saramaya's members have also played in various other ensembles, such as Benkadi (Moussa Dembélé), Farafina Lili (Moussa Dembélé), Here Man Kono (Diakalia Diarra), Farafina Yelemba (Assita Sanou), Sababougnouma (Soungalo Sanou, Moussa Dembélé).

On the CD « Mougnou », Drissa Zon was part of Saramaya instead of Diakalia Diarra, and played the African violon (soukeu) and karian. Oumarou Bambara played as guest musician djembé, n'goni, barra, dum dum, karian.


Saramaya
Saramaya 


Members of Saramaya:
Désiré Ouattara djembé, barra, dum dum, vocals
Moussa Dembélé balafon, djembé, barra, dum dum, vocals
Soungalo Sanou balafon, dum dum, vocals
Diakalia Diarra dum-dum, n'goni, djembé, balafon
Assita Sanou maracas, vocals, danse



Created: by Désiré Ouattara
Style: traditional percussion and balafon music


Discography
Title Year Label Remarks
Mougnou (la patience) 2001 Self-produced CD
Benkadi 1998 Self produced Cassette

Sources
Saramaya website (/www.inforoutes-ardeche.fr/~l.bony/), now offline
Page added April 2003