The Rail Band is a
Malian band formed in 1970; it was later known as Super Rail Band, Bamako Rail Band or, most comprehensively and formally, Super Rail Band of the Buffet Hotel de la Gare, Bamako.
Background
Rail Band's fame was built upon the mid-20th century craze for Latin — especially
Cuban — jazz music which came out of
Congo in the 1940s. The Rail Band was one of the first West African acts to combine this mature Afro-Latin sound with traditional instruments and styles. In their case, this was built upon the
Mande
Mande may refer to:
* Mandé peoples of western Africa
* Mande languages, their Niger-Congo languages
* Manding languages, Manding, a term covering a subgroup of Mande peoples, and sometimes used for one of them, Mandinka people, Mandinka
* Garo p ...
Griot
A griot (; ; Manding languages, Manding: or (in N'Ko script, N'Ko: , or in French spelling); also spelt Djali; or / ; ) is a West African historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet, and/or musician. Griots are masters of communicatin ...
praise singer tradition, along with
Bambara and other Malian and Guinean musical traditions. Their distinctive sound came from combining electric guitar and jazz horns with soaring Mandinka and Bamabara lyrical lines, African and western drums, and local instruments such as the
kora and the
balafon
The balafon (pronounced , or, by analogy with ''xylophone'' etc., ) is a gourd-resonated xylophone, a type of struck idiophone. It is closely associated with the neighbouring Mandé peoples, Mandé, Bwaba Bobo people, Bobo, Senufo people, Seno ...
. At their height of fame in the 1970s, the Rail Band played to sold-out venues and even stadia across West Africa, and launched solo careers for many of its members, including
Salif Keita.
History
The first incarnation of the Rail Band was founded in 1970, sponsored by the Ministry of Information and the railway administration. The Malian government had, since the '60s, been sponsoring cultural events and groups to promote national traditions, the Rail Band was among those programs. The band performed as the house band at the Buffet Bar of the Station Hotel in
Bamako
Bamako is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Mali, with a 2022 population of 4,227,569. It is located on the Niger River, near the rapids that divide the upper and middle Niger valleys in the southwestern part of the country.
Bamak ...
, from which it takes its name. Beginning as a Latin Jazz band in the style of Congolese
Soukous
Soukous (from French '' secousse'', "shock, jolt, jerk") is a genre of dance music originating from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) and the Republic of the Congo (formerly French Congo). It derived from Congolese rumba in ...
, it soon began integrating local
Manding musical styles and traditions, with vocals in the
Bambara language
Bambara, also known as Bamana (N'Ko script: ) or Bamanankan (N'Ko script: ; Arabic script: ), is a lingua franca and national language of Mali spoken by perhaps 14 million people, natively by 4.2 million Bambara people and about 10 million ...
. From early on the band featured electric guitar, electric organ, saxophone, horns, and a western drum kit alongside Mande music using
kora,
balafon
The balafon (pronounced , or, by analogy with ''xylophone'' etc., ) is a gourd-resonated xylophone, a type of struck idiophone. It is closely associated with the neighbouring Mandé peoples, Mandé, Bwaba Bobo people, Bobo, Senufo people, Seno ...
,
ngoni, talking drums,
Islamic-style,
Mande hunter co-fraternity song, and
griot
A griot (; ; Manding languages, Manding: or (in N'Ko script, N'Ko: , or in French spelling); also spelt Djali; or / ; ) is a West African historian, storyteller, praise singer, poet, and/or musician. Griots are masters of communicatin ...
praise-singing vocals.
Members
The Rail Band's lead singer in the 1970s was
Salif Keita, who left the band to join the rival Super Ambassadeurs, and then follow a successful solo career in 1982.
The group soon became a training ground for many of Mali's most popular performers, such as singer
Mory Kanté and guitarist Kante Manfila. Guitarist
Djelimady Tounkara has been a member of the band for most of its history. The band, changing personnel many times, continues to perform around the world.
In May 2020, Kanté died from
chronic illness
A chronic condition (also known as chronic disease or chronic illness) is a health condition or disease that is persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects or a disease that comes with time. The term ''chronic'' is often applied when the ...
.
Recognition
According to the
Timbuktu Renaissance initiative, Super Biton is one of "two bands in particular
hat
A hat is a Headgear, head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorpor ...
have left an indelible mark on the Malian musical landscape", the other being Rail Band, both "pioneers of the fusion of the traditional sounds and rhythms of Ségou and modern genres.
Discography
;Albums
* 1970 : ''Sunjata'' (Bärenreiter-Musicaphon)
* 1976 : ''Melodias "Rail Band" du Mali'' (Kouma)
* 1976 : ''Concert "Rail Band" du Mali'' (Kouma)
* 1977 : ''Orchestre du Buffet Hôtel de la Gare de Bamako'' (HNLX 5179)
* 1979 : ''Affair Social'' (Sacodis LS-25)
* 1985 : ''New Dimensions in Rail Culture'' (Globestyle)
* 1994 : ''Super Rail Band de Bamako/ Djougouya Magni'' (
Indigo
InterGlobe Aviation Limited (d/b/a IndiGo), is an India, Indian airline headquartered in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. It is the largest List of airlines of India, airline in India by passengers carried and fleet size, with a 64.1% domestic market ...
)
* 1996 : ''Mansa'' (Indigo)
* 2003 : ''Kongo Sigui'' (Indigo)
;Contributing artist
* 1995 : ''
The Rough Guide to West African Music'' (
World Music Network)
* 2012 : ''
The Rough Guide to Psychedelic Africa'' (World Music Network)
Complete discography available at the Radio Africa web site
See also
*
Music of Mali
*
Super Biton de Ségou
Super Biton de Ségou, Super Biton for short and also known as the Orchestre Régional de Segou and Super Biton National de Ségou, are an African jazz musical group. They were especially popular and influential in the 1970s, when they became th ...
References
Super Rail Band Banning Eyre, Afropop Worldwide (2001).
Cora Connection (2002).
African Legends: Super Rail Band Bruce Miller. globalrhythm.net (November 6, 2006).
Super Rail Band (aka New Dimensions In Rail Culture) Super Rail Band Of The Buffet Hotel De La Gare De Bamako Review. Chris May, All About Jazz (2006).
Philip Sweeney. The Independent (London). (4 July 2003).
Fernando Gonzalez. The Washington Post - Washington, D.C. July 11, 2001.
*
ttps://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/jul/08/worldmusic.artsfeatures Bembeya Jazz v Super Rail Band. Barbican, London The Guardian, Tuesday 8 July 2003.
*
ttp://www.miaminewtimes.com/2004-01-22/music/super-band-supreme/ Super Band Supreme: The outstanding return of Super Rail Band de Bamako Bob Tarte. Miami News Times. January 22, 2004.
FROM THE MOTHERLAND: Getting on track with Mali's Super Rail Band Tom Cheyney. L.A. Weekly. July 25, 2002.
BEN RATLIFF. New York Times. July 6, 2001.
JON PARELES. New York Times. July 16, 2002
{{Authority control
Malian musical groups
Label Bleu artists