Salif Keita (Trio)

Known around the world as “The Golden Voice of Africa,” Salif Keita’s unique sound blends the traditional styles of his West African homeland with influences from Cuba, Spain, Portugal, and the Middle East. The instrumentation that accompanies his singing represents a fusion of European and African popular music, ranging from guitar, organ, and sax to traditional African instruments such as the kora, balafon, and djembe, often synthesized and sampled. He has enjoyed a prosperous career not only in his native Mali, where he was awarded the National Order of Guinea, but also in Europe and America, where he became well-known after moving to Paris and collaborating with other African musicians based there.
After many struggles, Keita has learned to tap into the pain of life and to transcend it in cathartic song. Keita ranks among the most celebrated African singers and he has received Grammy nominations for his albums “Amen,” “Papa,” and “Moffou.”