An interview
"Vultures," "Mother Henriette," "Man on the guitar," "Girls Kologha-Naba 'and we forget, this is some of the rich repertoire of songs from this that the Music lovers were quick to nickname "Man on the guitar."
Abdoulaye Cisse in the registry, it could have high school if his penchant for music had not taken over the benches. Discover or made better acquainted with this almost sexagenarian who does not look her age.
You are an artist well-known musician, tell us how you came into the music.
Abdoulaye Cisse
(Laughter). I feel it's more the music that came to me. I was very young when I started music. When I went to the normal course of Koudougou in 1962-1963, I had a guitar that had 'been given by my uncle, he had found that I was passionate about music, but that does not bother my studies. I offered it as a gift after I passed my entry into the sixth.
I hummed songs of great singers of the time. I loved seeing the shows of the great artists of Africa. My father was a Republican Guard and I had the opportunity to see many groups. I Dafing. Our ethnicity is a stickler on certain principles especially in regard to caste. I'm not a griot and I'm not allowed to sing. I was the only one with a penchant for music and my family I finally understood.
What is your discography right now?
I admit it is difficult for me to answer such a question. My very first record in 1974. Between 1974 and 1976, I made four 45 laps and then a 33 rpm. The 45 and 33, are from LPs, vinyl side supports A and B. The 33 towers is wider. I have done in Benin in 1981.
After the tapes were introduced. Between 1986 and 1992, I could make five albums. The last date of 1993. It's an album that I made entirely in Sweden with my friend Seydou Traoré Richard, CEO of Seydoni Production and is at the head of a major company and he invited me to Sweden with my band, percussion Djamana . The tour resulted in the production of an album. After that, there were only small, ad hoc interventions and the FESPACO Burkina Compil and C 98.
Many are those who remember songs like "Girls Kologie-Naaba" in what spirit did you write this song?
I sang the title, but it's not me who wrote it. The author called Yago Kumasi. In 1968, when I entered the band Super Volta, this young man had just left. It was he who sang. This is a song of the 50 Congolese group Rock-a-Mambo, which had been adapted. When I came to the orchestra, I was back the entire directory and later my own songs.
You have been a teacher, what motivated you to abandon this profession for radio?
I was trained for teaching. I came out of the ordinary course teacher in 1968 and did 12 years on. Ground in the bush as they say. I used to Zawara (Koudougou) at Kantchari (Niger border) to Tiou (Mali border) to Silmougou to Kaya and Bassinko. It was a compelling business from my vocation is music. I liked the music, above all, that's what made me happy. The job of a teacher, I do not exercise it by vocation. It was my basic training and in addition, my father wanted me to do career in this business. But after 12 years, I finished the ten-year commitment to serve ment in rural areas. So I could go and asked for a detachment. I was then seconded to the radio as a result of a test that I passed in 1978. In 1979 I took office as program host on Radio Ouaga.
One of your songs, "Vultures", won a Prix RFI. What benefits have you benefited with such a price?
No. Rather, "Toumangari Djembe" is a song of inspiration that I drew traditional folklore Dafing. "Vultures" has traveled to Africa. It's a song that has a revolutionary content and is enjoyed in countries such as Benin, Guinea and Cameroon. Under the August 1983 Revolution in Burkina Faso, it was considered a song mobilization and awareness of youth compared to the situation in Africa. I pulled up to sales.
But it has not been successful in Western countries like France because it was a song highly critical opinions of the colonizers. By cons, "Tomangari Djembe", which took the Prix RFI discovery 83, gave me an opening to the world. This is in Mauritius that I was to receive my prize. I had the opportunity to do many tours and participated also, Bourges festival with this award. For two or three years I have had the promotion on the part of RFI.
Abdoulaye Cisse said "The man with the guitar." Why that name?
The man with the guitar was taken from one of my songs that was much appreciated at the time the youth was a text more or less romantic than some teachers have learned to their students.
It seems that on your guitar, ill was written "Mom Henriettu"
(Laughter). No, it's a legend I do not like to show myself. I think I would have never done. I had my guitar before "Mother Henriette" This is my first wife and I can not take the name of another person to stick it on my guitar. "Mother Henriette" is the title of a song that was made a year after "the man with the guitar."
But who is "Mother Henriette?"
. This is the person with whom I lived, the mother of my son Kader. I did this song at the time to pay tribute.
What becomes of it, "Mother Henriette?"
(Laughter). But I do not know!
They say you are an intelligent man and you were a student who occupied the first rank in class. The music she was right in your studies?
Indeed, at school I was not stupid. But the music took my head. When my friends saw life in graduate school, I was thinking about music, but unfortunately there was no industry in this area. Yes, the music was right in my studies. (Laughter). That although it was right in my studies because that's what I wanted to do. I could go to the military academy in Dakar or Bingerville like many of my colleagues. But I always refused these competitions.
Can you cite some gains made in music?
What I wanted in music, it is not quantifiable achievements in terms of material wealth. No, what I wanted, I did not have. I wanted the consecration of the world. Living my music full touring to express myself is what I missed. Otherwise I was very happy. The little that I had allowed me to continue to make music.
And your troubles?
I have not experienced setbacks in the music. In all, there are ups and downs. I could get a band, I have a full orchestra that allows me to perform. The only disappointment for an artist, when it has not made an album or run a touring program. I did not make the prison. I may have had a good education in terms of organizing my life, I do not see what has destabilized my life. I am attached to my freedom and I always managed to avoid disturbing others.
Abdoulaye Cisse composed in rhyme as Kaboré Oger. Can we say that you're both artists poets?
A priori, Oger, I and all of the generation of 67-68 years, so we ordered first was romanticism. Like it or not, we had to make poetry. It was inconceivable at the time we do a song that means nothing.
We know that you are also a trainer. To date how many bands or artists have you trained?
I have not decided to be a trainer, but many young people had to rub me. At any given time, I was director of music school. In the days of "Little Singers" and "Doves" is actually made up of young people. On this side, we can consider me as a trainer, but I've never been full professor, a graduate to teach music. You are dealing with a self-taught, someone who has trained himself when he was in the normal course. Once the courts were normal as seminars, where music is required.
My basic training helped me understand the music. I trained as youth Djamana percussion, I grew i been for fifteen years formed Super Volta. I was also trained in theater. With Djamana, I felt that I was responsible for something unlike Boys Choir and the Dove, which was a revolutionary movement. I can not tell you how many young people have been in contact since my only issue ever to graduate. It is mainly young people who are well situated to tell.
What happens to the group Djamana percussion?
The group is still there, on paper, since we have the receipts, but in practice it n: there are more such as we had originally designed. That was before in the form of traditional music, a mix of modern traditional music. Today, it took the form of a modern orchestra. It is a label that has preserved and that we use.
Sami Rama Is one of your products?
Yes, we can say since we did many things together. With me it started when it was operating within "Boys Choir with raised fists." To stop this project, when it came for her to pursue a solo career, c is from this point that its development started with me.
What is your marital status?
I am married and the one you just saw (note: he presents a young girl named Afissatou) is my daughter who is in college. I have other older children I am like everyone else and my wife is private secretary to the cabinet of the Minister of Economy and Development. You can see there the day you'll be passing through. It is with this that I live since 1979.
Much water has flowed under the bridge after your separation from Sami Rama, CEAA is that you failed in your duty as a husband?
You know, this area, I do not like the deal. This is a debate very intimate and personal. Even if one is an artist and we have a public life, we were wise enough to keep our secret garden not to talk about in the press.
How do you separate that?
I do not want to deal with it
Are we may hope one day closer?
You make your assumptions and ask questions. While looking at the answers yourself. I tell you that I will not answer (laughs).
Do you continue to work as an artist?
In this respect, I do not mind. We are still artists. In addition, we have a long history of art together, so it should not be a problem. In our business, we have this chance to grow musically together whatever the disagreements. You know the number of artists with whom I do not get or do not agree with me but with whom I play? One bump, we smile, we're happy and you pass.
To see you, you seem young when you're a little older, what's your secret?
I do not think that 56 years or 57 years, or older. But I do not dispute what you said so far if you think I'm young for my age. However, I know artists who are older than me and are still active, so I do not see why I hang up. I can quote George Ouedraogo, Jean-Claude said Bamogo Man which are certainly of my generation, but who are my elders. My problem is that I made music as a kid and because of this, there are adults who have discovered at this age. What makes people feel that I do not age. And it identifies me as the generation of adults then who remember some of my tracks when I am not of this generation.
But everything has a connection with the spirit of man, because at 40 years old so it may seem that someone else may have 60 to give the impression of being young. If you love your life, if you are well organized, you stay young in your mind and your body, especially when making music, which quickens and regenerates when you're in bad shape. Music is smile, give you a warm happy despite the problems that you hang out with you.
Since Burkina Band and 98 C, no more so you can see on the stage, what's going on?
Burkina Compil, if you will, was a project back in the saddle for some hit songs that were forgotten. Unfortunately, the experiment did not continue even if it was really a great initiative. Since the C 98, I do not know what to say because there is not a time when there was a break in my career. If. We want to talk in terms of breaking it may be on the terms of releases. Indeed, it is also an artist when we see his works on the market, television, radio, in print. In fact, the media are instrumental in the career of an artist. In this regard, I find that I more or less removed from the scene because my last work goes way back. But I do not mean finished because with my group, I do a lot scene, the "live".
In addition, for a long time, I took care of others, what made that I have not had time to take care of myself. These are the reasons that give the impression that I retired so that it is not, I'm still here. You have older children as Kader Cisse is rather oriented business, how do you assess his choice?
I do not appreciate is his life and destiny. I think it's good. If against all odds, I made the music and my parents have not stopped me, I do not see why I would come the idea to make judgments about their choice. I told you I like my freedom, so much so that I do not want to disturb the others. If one of my children, some had the aim of making music, I'd also be leaving without any trial.
Abdoulaye Cisse is attracted by what kind of woman?
I'm not attracted to women. Let me explain because people tend to mix things up by saying that artists are draggers. This is a big mistake because I think the artist is someone who works a lot on the cerebral, not physical. It's a sentimental, that's why you see the love life of artists is sometimes trouble .. It is a brain work because you can not get back to love, and love ten thousand women at once, it is not possible. Those who accost every woman who passes are sick and I'm not one of them.
I'm not saying I do not like beautiful women, but it is not enough to get me.
What are the best moments of your career that you have earned a good financial health?
I do not remember but my financial health has always been a checkered with ups and downs. I've never had a big surprise in the sense of becoming a millionaire one day but I've always been consistent in this area. Our income as an artist is what? This is the BBDA (Burkina Faso Office of Copyrights); income products on the market, entertainment and others. For now, I have not had the chance to have a big blow as they say.
And my lean times?
Not so much because I've always been a civil servant. As an artist, it is difficult to live by his art in Burkina Faso while currently products such as cassettes, albums, work very hard for some artists. But in time, there were times when we do not sell anything because it n 'there was no tape duplication plant, there were no producers. When you did your music, you did out of love or passion because there was no audience to buy your work. If I had only artist that I was counting on it to live, perhaps I would have been low. Until then, I have not had the opportunity to dive into a black hole.
With so many years of musical career, are you filled in the social? '
In this regard, I am really overwhelmed because the music I got to know many people, having many friends. And being popular, it's also something, it's that one is like no other. Even if among all these people there are those who love you, admire you and those who also may hate you. I am satisfied and I have no problems with anyone.
What do you think of music in Burkina Faso now?
OK, she is doing very well compared to what it was some ten or fifteen years. Today, we do not need too much to break the head to make money over time because what is harvested from the work done is by no means the same thing today . Burkinabe music, despite its shape even when subjected musical styles from all sides, but fortunately there are artists that really make the music and do not come in to trade, but because of a vocation, With these, you can save and protect something.
What matters to me is the music of Burkina Faso, something you can in 20 or 30 years, after looking back bring the words: "Here! These productions can be among the great works of Burkina Faso. " But should not the music that will leave our children in 20 to 30 years can not be identified, let alone music called Burkina Faso. This is my fear and my struggle has always been to advocate for the protection of our background music.
What is the musician of your generation that you hung the most. ?
Instead, I was impressed with those before. Coulibaly Tidiane as a musician has always been a role model for me. At school, wherever it was, I was there to see his shows, is the only one I considered, it was somewhere for me to counsel, is not impressed by someone one that can be a model, remained closely tied to his death recently.
And that of the current generation?
Many impresses me, there's youth group and Smarty Yelen Mandow because they have an inexhaustible talent, Mandow example is very good. There is also Wend Yack and Alif Naaba that are talented at first glance, you feel qu'Alif Naaba has an artistic soul as Bil Aka Kara They are true musicians, they did not come to show off.
Your password on the Kunda 2005 ..
(Laughter). I could not follow. I was not there, but the Kunda is simply a good thing, It can be a barometer to assess, judge the music, its impact. the actors. But I wish they would lose sight of the Kunda. This is the Kunda is to say, focus on the excellence of the music of Burkina Faso. But here in Burkina Faso, if one does not involve the outside, it is not too confident. Or to force too involve the outside, you end up losing the original meaning of the operation. In Mali, the Tamani, Guinea, the Djembe gold, but they are not too extroverted.
What do you do besides music?
Apart from music, I'm just the music.
What are your plans?
My immediate plans, c'ost to market an album that is in the works for 3 or 4 years, is an album of 12 tracks with titles and new titles a few times.
lefaso.net, July 2005
Tracklist
01. Les Vautours
02. Tieba Lou Tounouna
03. Anga Wan M'passo Side
04. Mamadou
05. Aw'ye Douba Ke
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