His operatic and evocative voice was honed on his family’s maize fields where he would scream at the larks and baboons to frighten them away. There was something magical about his natural instrument; it was destined to define his magnetic and majestic artistry.
But Salif Keita paid a heavy price when he responded to his calling as a musician. It was a rebellion against a long-standing royal tradition. He was born into the noble lineage, a direct descendant of Sundiata Keita, a legendary Mandinka warrior king who founded the empire of Mali in the 13th century. According to the tradition, it is forbidden for royal members to play music.
“It’s the musicians who are supposed to play for us,” his parents admonished him. “Not the other way round.”
By musicians they were specifically referring to the griots or jelis - members of the ancient family of hereditary musicians that have the ancestral rights to serenade the kings of the Malian empire.
This image of Salif Keita with Malians on a fishing boat indicates that he has rejected the caste system of his society and extended a hand of friendship to everyone.
His birthright also gives the griot the roles of storyteller and oral historian. It is taboo for royal members to play these roles. Consequently, his family disowned him not only because he broke a sacred tradition but also because he was born with albinism - a condition traditionally regarded as a curse in Malian society.
However, through the power of music he eventually overcame the pain of ostracism and gained worldwide respect as the foremost ambassador of people living with albinism.
Keita was born on August 25, 1949 in Djoliba, a village outside Bamako, the capital. His ambition was to become a teacher, and he trained for that, but his poor eyesight prevented him from pursuing the profession.
“I decided to go into music; it is a better way to teach than even working in a classroom, and you are able to reach more people,” he said.
In 1967 he began singing in Bamako’s smoky bars and clubs. When he came to the scene, the Rail Band and the Ambassadeurs were the most influential orchestras in Mali. Inspired by Negritude, the music of Francophone Africa was undergoing the greatest transformation in its history.
It was a rapid change that involved embracing a strong indigenous identity while at the same time absorbing modern trends that came through European instruments - especially amplified guitars - and the high technology designed to record it. It was in this exciting, unpredictable and breathtaking environment that Keita came and somewhat fitted in - becoming the face of this musical renaissance.
In 1972 he met saxophonist Tidiani Kone, leader of the Rail Band, resident at the Buffet Hotel. It was a popular and influential dance band that included Guinean vocalist and kora player Mory Kanté.
The band brought Keita national recognition. The outcast had become a celebrity. The highlight was the release of Sunjata (1972), a tribute to his illustrious ancestor. But they parted in 1973. His explanation was that the band had a limited repertoire of Mandingo folk songs.
Back in Bamako he found work with the resident band of a club called the Motel. The group was Les Ambassadeurs du Motel, and incorporated in their Malian classical music Congolese rumba, French and English pop, American soul, Cuban salsa and Argentinian tango.
When Keita met Guinean guitarist Kanté Manfila at the Motel, they started talking about turning things around. Manfila was older and more experienced, already enjoying a reputation as the virtuoso of the acoustic guitar and folk music. And as the band’s musical director, his vision was clear.
They introduced Malian classical sounds into the Latin-tinged repertoire. The results were astounding. The pair had given a new dimension to the music of Guinea and Mali. Guided by the magic of Keita, Les Ambassadeurs provided the soundtrack to the new era for post-independence Mali.
Their first overseas concert was in 1974 in Paris. Subsequently, there were political unrests following a long famine that decimated a substantial number of the Malian population between 1968 and 1974.
The turmoil resulted in Les Ambassadeurs’ loss of their chief financial benefactor and manager, Bagayogo. He was arrested by the Moussa Traoré military regime under suspicion of being a coup plotter.
A great official concert in Bamako’s stadium introduced Keita to Guinea’s foremost patron of the arts, President Sékou Touré. In 1977, Guinea honoured him with the title of Officer of the National Order, the highest national honour.
In a gesture of appreciation and gratitude, Keita reciprocated by penning Mandjou, a praise song for Touré and a paean to African nationalism. Mandjou became a huge hit, and 40 years later is still hailed as Les Ambassadeurs’ finest recording - an African classic.
“I left the Rail Band for the Ambassadeurs as I wanted to develop my singing technique,” Keita said. “I needed to be completely involved. Manfila and I shared the same vision. He was a good mentor who taught me how to compose.”
In 1978, Keita and Les Ambassadeurs fled political persecution in Mali and went into exile in Abidjan, Ivory Coast - the throbbing centre of West African music.
This is where he wrote Mandjou, the first Mandinka hit of the modern era and a song that is emblematic of his signature sound. “At the time I met Touré, I was depressed and discouraged,” Keita recalled.
“I had no faith in myself. Touré took me to Guinea and gave me the country’s highest honour. Consequently, people started to take notice and recognised me as a person in my own right.”
The band renamed themselves Les Ambassadeurs Internationales and found a producer who could turn their dreams into reality. Sako was a fellow Malian. He took them to the US, where they recorded two albums. He reportedly gave them a lucrative contract in which 70% of the royalties went to the group.
Sadly, the master tapes were leaked or stolen and copied without the musicians’ knowledge. Soon, thousands of pirated copies flooded the West African market even before Prinpin and Sidiki Bathily were released.
Bitter accusations and counter-accusations flew thick and fast between band members. The situation brought to the fore long-simmering tension between protégé Keita and Manfila. They split up, and in 1984 Keita settled in Paris, where he performed with a new band, Les Super Ambassadeurs.
There he launched his solo career with the release of Soro (1987) with French keyboardist Jean-Philippe Rykiel under the guidance of Senegalese producer Ibrahim Sylla. The album’s phenomenal success set the tone for the World Music boom in the late 1980s.
Since then he has been revered across the globe as an emblematic African musical force. He will perform for the first time at the Joy of Jazz festival starting next week.
“My first visit to South Africa was just after the first democratic election in 1994, and it felt like the whole country was teeming with vibrant, positive energy. I had some great young musicians, such as drummer Mokhtar Samba and bassist N’Doumbe N’Djengue.
“Playing in Africa means a lot. It’s more important than playing anywhere else, because this is my home. Of course, I value and enjoy performing for audiences everywhere.
"But coming home and playing for my people in Africa is closest to my heart. South Africa is probably the country outside West Africa where I have performed most often, and I feel at home because I always get a great reception. I will always be grateful for that.”
What should concert goers expect from this special Joy of Jazz edition? “They can expect both old and new. I have a great band - kora virtuoso Mamadou Diabaté and guitarist Djessou Mory Kanté, younger brother of my old friend and colleague Manfila Kanté. I hope to have a full album ready before the end of this year. I might play a song or two from it. Who knows?”
Salif Keita will appear on the Mbira stage on Saturday, September 30 at 12.15am-1.45am.