Livret album complet

3247952
ABLAYE NDIAYE THIOSSANE (LE DERNIER DAMEL DU CAYOR)
Ablaye Ndiaye Thiossane est originaire de Thiès, ville du Sénégal, située à 70km de Dakar, dans la
région du Cayor fief des Damels (Rois) dont le plus illustre Lat Dior opposa une résistance farouche à la
colonisation.
Thiossane signifie tout ce qui se rapporte à la tradition et explique toute la thématique de son album, qui
tourne autour de faits historiques, voire traditionnels.
Ses premières chansons entendues à la radio datent des années 50. Chanteur, peintre et dramaturge, il
est un artiste pluridisciplinaire.
Ablaye Ndiaye est un artiste autodidacte qui, dans les années 60 a fréquenté à l’Ecole des Arts du Sénégal
les sections lyriques et plastiques pour y parfaire ses connaissances artistiques.
Malgré une notoriété radiophonique, il est resté plus de 70 ans sans avoir publié d’album. C’est à 74 ans
qu’il franchit (enfin !) cette étape.
Enfant, il a été bercé par des airs traditionnels maternels qui ont inspirés toute sa carrière musicale.
Entre 1949 et 1950 son père mélomane écoutait le Septeto Habanero, qui développa chez Ablaye Ndiaye
Thiossane un amour pour la musique afro-cubaine.
Il découvrit par la suite les chansons de Tino Rossi, Harry Belafonte, le jazz, la musique orientale de Farid
El Atrach et les grands succès de la musique africaine du Grand Kallé. Ce goût éclectique des sonorités
musicales multiples lui a été bénéfique dans sa longue carrière. Très attaché à la tradition, il reste aussi
influencé par des airs traditionnels des années 1835 appelés « lawanes » : chansons populaires des
talibés (élèves des écoles coraniques). Cette forme de chant s’est répandu dans tout le pays wolof et le
président-poète Senghor parlera des « lawanes » dans ses poèmes…
Ablaye Ndiaye s’est aussi inspiré des contes africains où les bêtes sauvages véhiculent des messages
forts à travers ces fables millénaires racontées aux enfants lors des veillées au clair de lune autour
de feux de bois. Sa carrière musicale a réellement débuté en 1952 au sein de la troupe théâtrale L’UAT
(Union Artistique de Thiès). Durant cette période, il fréquente le Cayor Rythme, orchestre avec lequel il a
représenté la région de Thiès à la semaine nationale de la jeunesse du Sénégal.
Il a acquis sa grande renommée en 1966 lors du premier Festival des Arts Nègres de Dakar où le président
Léopold Sédar Senghor convia toute la diaspora noire à cette manifestation culturelle.
Ablaye Ndiaye Thiossane y croisa Duke Ellington qui l’invita à venir chanter avec son orchestre de jazz à la
salle Daniel Sorrano. Il n’ira pas à ce rendez-vous prestigieux à cause d’une programmation artistique qui
le retenait à l’autre bout de la ville : « Je ne savais pas que j’avais devant moi un grand nom du Jazz » nous
déclara-t-il. Lors de ce festival, sa chanson « Talene Lampe Yi » fut retenue comme hymne radiophonique
de l’évènement.
Ablaye Thiossane est un très bon guitariste et un grand peintre : il possède des œuvres importantes et
a exercé le métier de peintre-cartonnier à la manufacture des tapisseries de Thiès où ses œuvres ont été
reproduites en tapisseries célèbres dont l’une d’entre elles serait exposée au siège de l’Onu.
Dans les années 70, l’une de ces œuvres a été la plus grosse vente au Sénégal. "J’ai appris la peinture
tout seul par amour du dessin, bien que mon père fût aussi peintre ; c’est en reproduisant les affiches des
films programmés devant les salles de cinéma que j'ai appris à dessiner. L'Ecole des Arts n'a été qu'un
lieu de complément de mes connaissances artistiques."
Sanou Mbaye
1 Aminata Ndiaye 05 :38
Percussions : Mbaye Kane
Timbales : Jim Lopez
Trilogy Bass : François Bréant
Guitares accompagnement 1et 2 : Cheikhna Ndiaye
Guitare Solo : Nedule Monwest « Papa Noel »
Saxophone : Thierno Kouate
Accordéon : François Bréant
Chœurs : Adolphe Coly, Cheikhna Ndiaye, Marie Ngone Ndione
6 Talene Lampe Yi 04 :39
Sabar/Tama : Mbaye Kane
Basse : Samba Laobé
Guitares accompagnement et solo : Laye Kane
Saxophone : Thierno Kouaté
Accordéon : François Bréant
Chœurs : Adolphe Coly, Cheikhna Ndiaye,
Marie Ngoné Ndione,
Fatou Mbaye, Gora Mbaye
2 Late Dior 05 :38
Sabar : Mbaye Kane
Trilogy Bass/ Shakers / Grosse caisse : François Bréant
Guitares accompagnement 1et 2 : Cheikhna Ndiaye
Guitare Solo : Cheikh Tidiane Tall
Saxophone : Thierno Kouate
Chœurs : Fatou Mbaye, Gora Mbaye, Marie Ngone Ndione
7 Thiere Lamboul 05 :02
Congas/Bongoes : Mountaga Kouate
Trilogy Bass/ Percussions diverses : François Bréant
Guitares accompagnement 1et 2 : Cheikhna Ndiaye
Guitare Solo : Nedule Monwest « Papa Noel »
Saxophone : Thierno Kouate
Chœurs : Adolphe Coly, Cheikhna Ndiaye, Marie Ngone Ndione
3 Ndiaye Diatta Ndiaye 05 :23
Trilogy Bass : François Bréant
Guitares accompagnement 1 et 2 : Laye Kane, Cheikhna Ndiaye ;
Cheikh Tidiane Tall
Saxophone : Thierno Kouate
Chœurs : Fatou Mbaye , Gora Mbaye, Marie Ngone Ndione
8 Bouki Ndour 06 :16
Timbales: Jim Lopez
Congas/ Bongoes: Mountaga Kouate
Trilogy Bass/ Percussions diverses: François Bréant
Guitares accompagnement 1 et 2 : Cheikhna Ndiaye,
Cheikh Tidiane Tall
Guitare Solo : Nedule Monwest « Papa Noel »
Saxophone : Thierno Kouaté
4 Arawane Ndiaye 04 :25
Timbales: Jim Lopez
Congas: Mountaga Kouaté
Trilogy Bass/ Percussions diverses : François Bréant
Guitares accompagnement 1 et 2 : Cheikhna Ndiaye,
Cheikh Tidiane Tall
Guitare Solo : Nedule Monwest « Papa Noel »
Saxophone : Thierno Kouate
Chœurs : Adolphe Coly, Cheikhna Ndiaye, Marie Ngone Ndione
5 Siket 06 :16
Sabar : Jules Dramé
Shaker/ Cloches : François Bréant
Bass : Samba Laobé Ndiaye
Guitare accompagnement 1et 2 : Lofti Ben Jeloun,
Robert Lahoud, Laye Kane
Saxophone : Thierno Kouate
Solo Vocal : Khar Mbaye Madiaga
9 Laye Woyna Laye 05 :38
Sabar/ Congas : Jules Dramé
Percussions diverses : François Bréant
Saxophone : Thierno Kouaté
Basse : Samba Laobé Ndiaye
Guitare accompagnement 1et 2 : Lofti Ben Jeloun,
Robert Lahoud, Laye Kane
Chœurs : Soda Touré, Assane Mboup
Solo Vocal : Medoune Diallo
Thierno Kouate
ABLAYE NDIAYE THIOSSANE (THE LAST DAMEL OF CAYOR)
Ablaye Ndiaye Thiossane was born in Thiès, a city in Senegal, 70 Kms from Dakar, in the region of
Cayor, the realm of Damels (Kings), whose most famous representative, Lat Dior, was instrumental in the
ferocious fight against colonisation.
“Thiossane” means “all things relating to tradition”; this sheds light on why, throughout his discography,
Ablaye has always explored historical facts and traditions. His songs were first played on the radio in
the 1950s. A singer, painter and playwright, Ablaye is a true pluridisciplinary artist. In the 1960s, Ablaye
Ndiaye, a self-taught artist, studied drama and visual arts at the Senegalese National Arts School and thus
perfected his artistic knowledge.
Despite the notoriety brought about by the radio, 70 years passed without him recording an album. It is only
now, at the age of 74, that he is releasing this record, his first album.
As a child, he grew up listening to traditional tunes, much loved by his mother and instrumental in shaping
his entire musical career. Between 1949 and 1950, his father – a music lover – would listen to the productions
of Septeto Habanero, which triggered in Ablaye Ndiaye Thiossane a passion for Afro-Cuban music.
Later on, he discovered the songs of Tino Rossi and Harry Belafonte, jazz, the oriental sounds of Farid
El Atrach and the great African music hits of Grand Kallé. These eclectic tastes, this love of a wide
range of sounds have shaped and benefited his long career. Along with his love of tradition, he was also
greatly influenced by traditional songs of the 1830s called “lawanes”: popular songs performed by Talibés
(students of Islam). This type of singing spread throughout the Wolof community, leading President-Poet
Senghor to mention the “lawanes” in his poems.
Ablaye Ndiaye also drew inspiration from African legends, the age-old tales – told by children under the
moonlight as they sit around the woodfire – populated by animals delivering strong messages and life
lessons. His musical career really started in 1952 with the UAT (Thiès’ Artistic Union) theatre company. At
the time, he used to perform along with Cayor Rythme, an orchestra with which he represented the Thiès
region at the National Week for the Youth of Senegal.
He became very famous in 1966, when he performed at the first Festival of Negro Arts in Dakar. President
Léopold Sédar Senghor had invited the entire Black diaspora to take part in this cultural event.
There, Ablaye Ndiaye Thiossane met Duke Ellington, who invited him to sing alongside his jazz orchestra
at the Daniel Sorrano hall. Because of a prior engagement to perform at a venue in another part of the
city, he was unable to attend the prestigious event: “I didn’t know at the time that he was a jazz legend”
he says. His song “Tallene Lampe Yi” was chosen as the radio anthem for the festival. Ablaye Thiossane
is a very talented guitarist and painter: he owns great works and has worked as a cartoon-maker at the
tapestry manufacture in Thiès, where his pieces were turned into majestic tapestries, one of which is
displayed at the UN headquarters.
In the 1970s, one of his works was sold at a record-breaking price in Senegal. “I taught myself painting
because of my love for drawing, although my father too was a painter; I learned to draw by reproducing the
film posters on display at cinemas, the National Arts School simply completed my training in the visual arts.”
Sanou Mbaye
THE TEAM BEHIND THE ALBUM
The release of this first album is the result of the collaboration of a team.
Thanks to the advice of Medoune Diallo from the band Africando and the perseverance of Alain Josse, executive producer for Syllart
Production, a team of talented musicians was brought together in order for the project to take shape. These were:
Cheikhna Ndiaye : guitarist with the National Orchestra of Senegal and a former member of
Labba Sossey’s Super International Band in Abidjan.
Thierno Kouaté : sax-player with the Orchestra Baobab.
Robert Lahoud : guitarist, arranger, sound engineer and executive producer.
Cheick Tidiane Tall : guitarist, founding member of Xalam.
Samba Laobé Ndiaye, bass-player and former member of the Ismaël Lô Orchestra and Laye Kane, a soloist, both brought a youthful
touch to this production
Papa Noel Nedule Montswet from the DRC : pioneering guitarist and the last living legend of Congolese rumba, former member of
OK Jazz and of Les Bantous de la Capitale from Brazzaville. He founded the band Bamboula in the 60s and is currently playing with the
Paris-based band Kékélé, which he also founded.
Muctar Wurrie : reggae guitarist from Sierra Leone, former member of Kéletigui & ses Tambourinis from Guinea, member of Ismaël
Isaac’s band.
Lofti Benjeloun : guitarist with the Orchestra Baobab.
In order to achieve the widest possible range of sounds, producer Ibrahima Sylla invited 5 Senegalese singers, each representing a
different generation, to achieve a new form of musical symbiosis :
Khar Mbaye Madiaga : the most senior representative of traditional Senegalese singers (“Siket”)
Balla Sidibé : lead vocal in the Orchestra Baobab
Medoune Diallo : lead vocal in Africando and former member of the Orchestra Baobab (“Laye Woyna Laye”)
Souleymane Faye : lead vocal, former member of Xalam
Doudou Seck : lead vocal, specialised in songs relating to circumcision (kassak) and traditional wrestling at Senegalese amphitheatres.
Assane Mboup : lead vocal in the Orchestra Baobab.
It is with great skill that François Bréant arranged these colourful tunes, his past achievements including :
Salif Keita’s (Mali) mythical “Soro” album, “Orientissimo” by Thione Seck (Senegal), “Sinikan” by Sékouba Bambino (Guinea),Bako
Dagnon’s debut album, “Titati”, released by Discograph, “Congo Live” by the band Kékéle from the DRC, etc.
Photos covers : Florent Mazzoleni. Photos p 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 16 : Touré Béhan. Design : Marc Ribes
Label : Pierre-Olivier Toublanc - po@discograph.com
1 Amineta Ndiaye
A love song, dedicated to the beloved lady who shouldn’t bask in her own beauty too much or throw
tantrums if she wants to please her man.
Relationships must be based on harmony and mutual understanding.
2 Lat dior
The greatest Damel (king) of Cayor, fought ferociously against colonisation, the last bastion against
Western occupation in Senegal. A Cayorian, like Lat Dior, Ablaye Laye celebrates in song the story of
the man symbolising Senegalese independence.
3 Ndiaye Diatta Ndiaye
The artist celebrates his lineage: the Ndiaye, a Griot family from Cayor, a lineage of orchestra conductors
commonly called Tambours Majors (drum majors), the masters of rhythm and of Sabars (tom-tom
drum), which convey sounds and messages according to beating patterns only the initiated can master.
4 Arawane Ndiaye
This song is a tribute to Senegalese women and to their culinary craft.
5 Siket (Le Bouc)
A traditional song inspired by the “leb” African tales, which depict animals – here, a billy goat –
conveying educational messages. It appears that Africa had created fables before La Fontaine. In his
message conveyed by “Siket the billy goat”, Ablaye Ndiaye urges people to do things according to their
abilities. For this song, he sings in duet with Khar Mbaye Madiaga, the most senior representative of
traditional Senegalese singers.
6 Talene Lampe Yi
In 1966, President Senghor invited the entire Black diaspora to attend the first World Festival of Negro
Arts, held in Dakar. Key players of Black culture came to Senegal from all over the world to celebrate
this get-together on African soil: Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillepsi, Franco and Tabu Ley Rochereau (from
Congo), Odeneizer from Nigeria, etc.
In 1977, the second edition of the festival, called FESTAC, was held in Lagos. It was not until 34 years
later, in 2010, that the third Festival of Negro Arts (FESMAN) was organised in Senegal, under the aegis
of President Abdoulaye Wade; a great panafricanist who invited representatives of Black culture – from
Brazil to the rest of America, from Senegal to the Caribbean, from the north to the south of Africa – to
this great cultural celebration, marking a new beginning for Africa.
7 Thiere Lamboul
The story of a girl who has lost her mother and is ill-treated by her mother’s co-spouse, under the
complacent eyes of her father. Thielel is an abused child who carries out, at a young age, all the
household chores while her half-sister lazes about the house.
8 Bouki Ndiour (The hyena)
In African Bouki tales, hyenas are pictured as simpletons eager for flesh. Here, one of them makes a
pact with “Diargogne” the spider. But hyenas can never keep a secret... 9 Laye Woyena Laye
Ablaye Ndiaye rend hommage à un autre Laye (Mboup) un grand chanteur sénégalais, membre
fondateur de l’Orchestra Baobab et sociétaire de l’ensemble lyrique traditionnel du Sénégal, décédé
en 1975. Dans cet hommage vocal, il invite un ancien membre du baobab, Medoune Diallo du groupe
Africando pour un duo sur un morceau très connu composé en son temps par l’artiste disparu.
9 Laye Woyena Laye
Ablaye Ndiaye pays tribute to another Laye (Mboup), a great Senegalese singer, the founding member
of Orchestra Baobab and a member of the Senegalese traditional operatic ensemble, who died in 1975.
In this vocal tribute, he invites a former member of Orchestra Baobab, Medoune Diallo from the band
Africando, to sing in duet a very famous song written by the departed artist.