Laurent Bizot, the founder of NØ FØRMAT says:
The lucky few who’ve had the privilege of staying late at Moffou, Salif Keita’s club in the outlying Kalabancoro district of Bamako, may have witnessed this scene : Salif, sitting alone in his backyard under the moonlight, playing the guitar and singing until the middle of the night. It happened to me almost every night for three weeks in 2005, while we were recording his album ‘Mbemba’. At the time, I was his young and shy manager.
For him, these were moments of peace after long days of work and non-stop unexpected meetings with people from the neighbourhood asking for financial assistance. So he needed a secret garden, an escape. He also explained to me that his compositions were always created this way.
At the time, he would say no to anyone who would suggest he record a solo acoustic album. With many good reasons. “I’m not a guitarist. My guitar is my composition tool. It’s not good enough to play for an audienceâ€. I could also feel a certain lack of confidence. “People would be bored to deathâ€.
I never really gave up, but in 2008 I started focusing on my label NØ FØRMAT and our paths diverged.
In 2023, 15 years later, our common friend Lucille Reyboz (who photographed the ‘Moffou’ album cover) convinced Salif to come to Kyoto, Japan, for her new festival Kyotophonie and to perform in an amazing temple with only two musicians : Badie Tounkara (ngoni) and Mamadou Kone (calabash). This is where Lucille and I eventually convinced him to record this special acoustic line up, at times alone and at times with his two musicians in his hotel room.
This very special album is named ‘So Kono’, in mandinka meaning “inside the chamber, inside the roomâ€, referring to its intimacy and to the fact that we actually recorded in his hotel room. The idea was simply to capture the music at this early stage before it is given to musicians and arrangers, when Salif is alone with his favourite person in the world – his guitar. And to allow the audience to enter a genuine moment of peace and privacy, a moment alone, without any production nor overdubs.
It was also a way to leave as much space as possible for the incredible voice of this 75 years old man, who left his country very young, traveled the whole world for years, and came back home for the last part of his career. This voice, more powerful, deep and soulful than ever, which probably makes him one of the greatest singers alive, all culture and all continents considered
A1 Aboubakrin
A2 Awa
A3 Tassi
A4 Kante Manfila
B1 Chérie
B2 Soundiata
B3 Laban
B4 Tu Vas me Manquer
B5 Proud
New & Sealed
Grading: New & Sealed
