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Touré Kunda
(Senegal)
Biography
Touré Kunda are well known for their easily accessible music mixing Senegalese
traditions (mainly from the Casamance region) with fusion elements into a sort of Senegalese middle-of-the-road.
Their albums sold very well in the 1980s, especially in France.
Amadou Touré, who joined the group soon after its creation in 1979 contributed a lot to the artistic face of Touré Kunda. Tragically, he died during a concert of a heart attack in January 1983. Their next album, « Amadou Tilo », was dedicated to Amadou.
In 1984, Ousmane Touré joins the band, and the following album « Casamance au clair de lune » was a tribute to their home region, the Casamance. In the following years Touré Kunda concentrate on maintaining their commercial success with the 1984 live album (sold 200,000 times) and the album « Natalia », produced by Bill Laswell, as well as some reissues on CD with their best successes of the preceding years. They made successful tours in France, West Africa, Japan and the USA.
Towards the end of the 1980s, they were at the top of their success, and later albums did not reach the same level of success as the previous ones. Nowadays, Touré Kunda consists of the two original brothers, Ismaila and Sixu Tidiane Touré. In 2018, a new album was released, « Lambi Golo » with feastuted artists Manu Dibango and Carlos Santana, and the 1984 live album « Live Paris-Ziguinchor » was reissued at the same moment.
Amadou Touré, who joined the group soon after its creation in 1979 contributed a lot to the artistic face of Touré Kunda. Tragically, he died during a concert of a heart attack in January 1983. Their next album, « Amadou Tilo », was dedicated to Amadou.
In 1984, Ousmane Touré joins the band, and the following album « Casamance au clair de lune » was a tribute to their home region, the Casamance. In the following years Touré Kunda concentrate on maintaining their commercial success with the 1984 live album (sold 200,000 times) and the album « Natalia », produced by Bill Laswell, as well as some reissues on CD with their best successes of the preceding years. They made successful tours in France, West Africa, Japan and the USA.
Towards the end of the 1980s, they were at the top of their success, and later albums did not reach the same level of success as the previous ones. Nowadays, Touré Kunda consists of the two original brothers, Ismaila and Sixu Tidiane Touré. In 2018, a new album was released, « Lambi Golo » with feastuted artists Manu Dibango and Carlos Santana, and the 1984 live album « Live Paris-Ziguinchor » was reissued at the same moment.
Touré Kunda
Formed: in 1979 by Ismaila and Sixu Touré
Style: Fusion of Senegalese rhythms (Djabadong, mbalax), pop, reggae and latin
Discography
| Title | Year | Label | Remarks |
| Lambi Golo | 2018 | Soulbeats Records | |
| Santhiaba | 2008 | Wagram | |
| Le World... Afrique | 2001 | Suave 6942 071 | Compilation |
| Terra Saabi | 2000 | Edel Records | |
| Légende | 1999 | ABN Music/ Une Musique U1013-2 | |
| The best of Touré Kunda | 1998 | Arcade 303816-2 | Compilation |
| Okunaya | 1998 | Movie Play Gold MPG 74048 | Basically the same album as Toubab Bi |
| Mouslaï | 1996 | WEA 063015506-2 | |
| The Touré Kunda collection | 1996 | Putumayo PUTU 121-2 | Compilation, also on Sony Music 99172 |
| The Dance of the Leaves | 1994 | Restless | Compilation, also on Celluloid (1999) |
| Sili Béto | 1993 | Trema 710405 | |
| Sounké - En Concert | 1991 | Trema 710344 | Live album |
| Salam | 1990 | Trema 710321 | Also Worldmusic/Ausfahrt (D, 1991) |
| Karadindi | 1988 | Celluloid 6137 | LP (basically the same album as Toubab Bi) |
| Toubab Bi | 1987 | Trema 710233 | LP / CD |
| Best of Touré Kunda | 1987 | Celluloid 66805-2 | Compilation (CD version released 1996) |
| Touré Kunda 83 84 | 1986? | Celluloid 66781-2 | Compilation of older songs |
| Touré Kunda 81 82 | 1986? | Celluloid 66779-2 | Compilation of older songs from E'mma Africa and Turu |
| Natalia | 1985 | Celluloid 66741-2 | |
| Live Paris-Ziguinchor | 1984 | Celluloid 66722-2 | LP, CD re-edition 2002: Celluloid 67038-2 |
| Casamance au clair de lune | 1984 | Celluloid CEL 6663 | LP |
| Amadou Tilo | 1983 | Celluloid CEL 6646 | LP |
| Touré Kunda (Turu) | 1982 | Celluloid CEL 6599 | LP, CD re-edition 2003: Celluloid 67045-2 |
| E'mma Africa | 1980 | Celluloid CEL 6549 | LP, CD re-edition 2003: Celluloid 67041-2 |
| Ismaïl & Sixu: Mandinka Dong | 1979 | Esperance | LP |
Sources
Page added June 1999