Several great music masters made their final journey during the past few weeks, several of whom have been World Beat favourites since the early days of the column back in the 1990s.
Malian kora (21-stringed African harp) maestro Toumani Diabate died recently at the young age of 58 in Bamako, Mali's capital. He performed at festivals and concert halls around the world and was able to perform with just about any musician, ensemble or orchestra. When asked how he planned to play with a Japanese koto maestro, Diabate answered he would just follow the koto's lead and go from there.
Diabate performed with the London Symphony Orchestr, and Brazilian musicians, flamenco masters, Cuban musicians and his own Symmetric Orchestra. He took his instrument and music around the globe, which, coupled with an amazing array of traditional Malian and fusion recording projects, led to a monumental body of work. He popularised the kora to international audiences much as Ravi Shankar did for the sitar during the 1960s and 1970s.
Diabate was a traditional jali, or griot -- a traditional praise musician who could trace his roots back to the Mande empire in the 13th century. Although a hereditary musician, his father Sidiki (renowned for creating the solo kora repertoire) did not pass on skills or teach him. Diabate told me that he learned by watching and listening.
He began his professional career at 13 as part of the ensemble which accompanied griot singer Kandia Kouyate, one of Mali's top traditional singers. Staying on in London after several shows, he recorded the first solo kora album Kaira and then joined Ketama, a Spanish flamenco group, plus Danny Thompson on bass, to tour the UK and record two albums on the Hannibal label, Songhai and Songhai 2 (check out the first album as it is wonderful).
In recent years, he recorded New Ancient Strings (1998) with Ballake Sissoko as a tribute to their fathers who had recorded a similar vinyl, collaborated with Taj Mahal on Kulanjan, Boulevard De L'Independence with his Symmetric Orchestra, and a final, moving album with Ali Farka Toure, Ali And Toumani, recorded just before the latter's death in 2006. Musically, he always kept moving. His most recent releases featured banjo master Bela Fleck (The Ripple Effect, 2020) and a sublime album with Iranian spike fiddle player Kayhan Kalhor on The Sky Is The Same Colour Everywhere.
John Mayall was another influential musician who passed away last week, aged 90. Mayall was, along with Alexis Korner, one of the founders of British blues in the late 1950s and early 60s. In his early days, he popularised the Chicago style of rhythm and blues (harmonica-led, as opposed to the LA and St Louis R&B sounds which were horn-led). In the 1960s, he formed John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers which was a crucible that forged the careers of guitarists like Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac) and Mick Taylor (The Rolling Stones). The band's influential 1966 album Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton was a hit and paved the way for the British blues boom of the 60s and early 70s.
Mayall moved to California in the 1970s and continued his solo career. He worked with many top US musicians and later had something of a renaissance, releasing albums right up to his death, the latest of which feature live performances from the 1960s. Mayall's sons, Gaz and Jason, continued the Mayall family business, Gaz with his Jump With Joey ska band and amazing R&B DJ nights at Gossips Club in Soho during the 1980s (my favourite DJ night during that time in London) and Jason with his DJing at music festivals.
Sadly, another World Beat favourite, this time from Cambodia, has also passed -- chappei dang veng (Khmer long-necked lute) master Kong Nay. The blind musician was one of the last Khmer troubadours -- itinerant musicians who would go from village to village singing their songs and retelling epic tales of Khmer history.
Kong Nay was master of the chrieng chappei genre of traditional music in which the musician improvises, adding topical news and issues to Khmer epics. Several of his albums, such as Mekong Delta Blues, features these kinds of tales. One of my favourite Kong Nay tracks is one on which he creates a song from the everyday objects he sees in his house -- it's just an inventory or a list of possessions but it sounds so important and meaningful.
Nay was a tireless promoter of the chappei, which he took with him on many overseas trips. He also held regular workshops to encourage young Khmers to take up the art form, and out of this some outstanding young players such as Ouch Vary have emerged to carry on his important legacy.
Finally, the last original member of seminal Tamla Motown band The Four Tops, Abdel "Duke" Fakir, died last week at the age of 88. The band was one of the most successful in the 60s and helped establish Motown records as a hit making machine. The Four Tops had many hits such as I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch), It's The Same Old Song and the band's biggest hit Reach Out I'll Be There. I saw them as a teenager in my home town and was transfixed (only The Temptations could top them at that time) and one of their songs remains a favourite to this day: Standing In The Shadows Of Love.
These fine musicians may have gone to the great concert hall in the sky, but their musical legacies remain for us to enjoy.
John Clewley can be contacted at clewley.john@gmail.com
