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Fanta Damba
(Mali)
Biography
Fanta Damba is generally referred to as the Grande Vedette Malienne. Together with
Mokontafe Sacko, she was among the first female griots reaching national and even
international fame through radio and recordings. Born into a family of griots - both of her parents were musicians - she
started a professional career in the Ensemble Instrumental National du Mali. Trained by the best griots of the country,
she was already famous in Mali by the age of 16, and in 1975, she was the first jalimuso to perform as a solo singer
in Europe (source: The African Music Encyclopedia).
Fanta Damba has been acknowledged to be an inspiring example for young Mory Kante, Youssou N'Dour or Rokia Traoré who would grow world stars decades later. As a griot, she mastered the important heritage of Malian history in music and storytelling. She was loved because of the emotion and sensitivity in her voice. In addition, her way of singing was influenced by the melodies and rhythms of the bambara of Segou, different from the malinké in West Mali, the home area of so many griots.
On her first album she was accompanied by Mady Tounkara, on later albums by kora player Batourou Sekou Kouyaté.
Fanta Damba has been acknowledged to be an inspiring example for young Mory Kante, Youssou N'Dour or Rokia Traoré who would grow world stars decades later. As a griot, she mastered the important heritage of Malian history in music and storytelling. She was loved because of the emotion and sensitivity in her voice. In addition, her way of singing was influenced by the melodies and rhythms of the bambara of Segou, different from the malinké in West Mali, the home area of so many griots.
On her first album she was accompanied by Mady Tounkara, on later albums by kora player Batourou Sekou Kouyaté.
Fanta Damba with Mady Tounkara (© M. Thuillier)
Important note: there are two singers bearing the name of Fanta Damba, Fanta Damba Koroba or
Fanta Damba No. 1, and Fanta Damba No. 2 (tchini). To give an illustration of the importance of both singers:
the Palais des Congrès in Bamako, whose rooms are named after famous griots of Mali, has both a salle Fanta Damba N° 1
and a salle Fanta Damba N° 2. Little is known about Fanta Damba No. 2, except a superb live video from 1983
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI7P2yRBr7s), on which she performs the classic « Duga ».
To my knowledge, all information on this
page applies to Fanta Damba No. 1. If anyone can share any information on both Fanta Damba, this will be more than welcome.
Born: 1938 in Segou (Central Mali)
Style: mande, malinke, mandingo griot music, praise singing, bambara
Discography
Born: 1938 in Segou (Central Mali)
Style: mande, malinke, mandingo griot music, praise singing, bambara
Discography
| Title | Year | Label | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fanta Damba du Mali Vol. 3 | 2002 | Bolibana BIP332 | CD |
| Fanta Damba du Mali Vol. 2 | 2002 | Bolibana BIP331 | CD |
| Fanta Damba du Mali Vol. 1 | 2002 | Bolibana BIP330 | CD |
| Fanta Damba | 1985 | Disques Esperance ESP 7518 | LP, Reissue of album SP 1002 |
| Fanta Damba | 1983 | Sacko Production SP 1002 | LP |
| Fanta Damba | 1982 | Sacko Production SP 005 | LP |
| Fanta Damba | 1981 | Sonodisc | LP |
| Bahamadou Simogo | 1980 | Celluloid CEL 6637 | LP |
| Sékou Semega | 1977 | Songhoï Records SON 8210 | With Batourou Sekou Kouyate |
| Ousmane Camara | 1975 | Songhoï Records SON 8205 | With Batourou Sekou Kouyate |
| Hamet | 1975 | Songhoï Records SON 8202 | With Batourou Sekou Kouyate |
| La grande vedette malienne | 1975 | Songhoï Records SON 8201 | With Batourou Sekou Kouyate |
| Première anthologie de la Musique malienne, volume 6. La tradition épique |
1971 | Bärenreiter-Musicaphon BM 30 L 2506 | LP |
Sources
• The main body of the discography (1975-85) is based on the Radio Africa Discography of Malian vinyl recordings, compiled by Graeme Counsel [link...]
• The African Music Encyclopedia (retrieved 2005)
• https://wrldsrv.blogspot.com/search?q=fanta+damba
• The main body of the discography (1975-85) is based on the Radio Africa Discography of Malian vinyl recordings, compiled by Graeme Counsel [link...]
• The African Music Encyclopedia (retrieved 2005)
• https://wrldsrv.blogspot.com/search?q=fanta+damba
Page added February 2005