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This piece, 'Kairo' is by Jaliba Kuyateh, the Gambian 'kora' maestro. Kairo is a Mandingo word for peace. Here Jaliba Kuyateh laments about the inherent conflict in human nature and particularly African society, and advocates for peace by wishing well for others as you would wish for yourself.
ReplyDeleteJaliba's music is very popular in the Gambia, especially among the ethnic Mandingos, but lately Jaliba's music appears to have transcended cultural barriers as another SeneGambian superstar, Youssou Ndure would say "music amul frontiers".
This piece follows a simple melodic line based largely on the Kora, a twelve string harp allegedly native to ancient Manding empire. Jaliba Kuyateh himself plays the kora and provides the lead vocals as well. The percussions in the background, recent additions to the band, provides the rhythm and the harmony; but the high pitched African drum together with the whistle (a wind instrument often prominent in Mandingo Shewruba)are a disruption (dissonance) to the harmony as they add their disjointed notes.
Jaliba Kuyateh, a former grade school teacher, largely based his music on patronage. Music was still an affair of the privileged class. Recently though, as Jaliba attempts to modernize his music, he has covered broader universal concepts and ideals in his compositions. This Piece, Kairo, is one of such compositions...
Kayjatta.