Mamady Keita born in 1950 in Balandugu, a village of Wassolon, near the Fé river. A few time after his birth, his mother was wishing to know the Mamady destiny so she went to consult a soothsayer who said to her: "the children must be left to amuse himself because it is therre that he...
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Mamady Keita born in 1950 in Balandugu, a village of Wassolon, near the Fé river. A few time after his birth, his mother was wishing to know the Mamady destiny so she went to consult a soothsayer who said to her: "the children must be left to amuse himself because it is therre that he will make a name". From when he was old enough to crawl, Mamady descended on all pots and and pans in order to turn them and beat on them even so her mother thought "My son will therefore be a djembefola" ans she had an instrument constructed to his size. Quickly he surpised everyone by his natural gifts.
None would believe their ears and one's would ask to one's self how such a small boy could draw such a sound from a drum.
This story gave him two nicknames: Mamady nan nkama (Mamady-who-was-born-for-that) and Balandugudjina (The devil of Balandugu).
He owed his initiation into the history of the Mandeng and its music to Karinkadjan Kondé, an old Djembéfola of his vilage
At 14, Mamady was hired by the Djoliba National Ballet in which he would play for 20 years.
When he was 17, the young drummer is seen appearring in a Harry Belafonte movie: African Dance.
In 1979 he took the artistic direction of th Djobila National Ballet and keep it as his soloist place until 1986.
In 1992 he founded his own percussion school in Brussels: Tam Tam Mandingue. Today there's 300 students and severals branches in Paris, Geneva, Munich, Tokyo or Conakry.
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