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Sékou "Bembeya" Diabaté
(Guinea)
Biography
Sékou "Bembeya" Diabaté became famous
as the lead guitar player of Bembeya Jazz. During more than two decades, this band toured
around the world, and at the FESTAC in Nigeria (1977, he received the surname Diamond Fingers.
As this band slowly desintegrated after the departure of Sékouba Bambino Diabaté in 1989, Sékou "Bembeya" Diabaté, too, began a solo career, although he had recorded a solo album « Montagne » already in 1985. Successes came with albums such as « Diamond Fingers », « Samba Gaye » and « Guitar Fö »
Paul Montgomery of Stern's Records said on the album Diamond Fingers:
"Forget Cooder and Clapton, Diamond is God!"
When Bembeya Jazz was re-united again in 2002, Sékou "Bembeya" Diabaté is again playing in that group as the solo guitarist.
Born: 8 July 1944 in Tiro (near Faranah)
Birth name: Sékouba Diabaté
Style: "electric" mandingo music, solo guitar
As this band slowly desintegrated after the departure of Sékouba Bambino Diabaté in 1989, Sékou "Bembeya" Diabaté, too, began a solo career, although he had recorded a solo album « Montagne » already in 1985. Successes came with albums such as « Diamond Fingers », « Samba Gaye » and « Guitar Fö »
Paul Montgomery of Stern's Records said on the album Diamond Fingers:
"Forget Cooder and Clapton, Diamond is God!"
When Bembeya Jazz was re-united again in 2002, Sékou "Bembeya" Diabaté is again playing in that group as the solo guitarist.
Born: 8 July 1944 in Tiro (near Faranah)
Birth name: Sékouba Diabaté
Style: "electric" mandingo music, solo guitar
Discography
| Title | Year | Label | Remarks |
| Guitar Fö | 2004 | Discorama WVF 479016 | Also on: World Village Music |
| Diata | [nd] | Alpha Mamadou Cissé et Frères 121602 | Cassette |
| Samba Gaye | 1996 | Dakar Sound DKS 011 | Re-recording of an older cassette |
| Diamond Fingers | 1996 | Dakar Sound DKS 008 | |
| Concorde Gaye | 19?? | Samba Gaye SG-1 | Cassette, with Djanka Diabaté |
| Digné | 1987 | Esperance ESP 8443 | LP |
| Montagne | 1985 | Esperance ESP 8419 | LP |
Page added February 1998