Les Ambassadeurs 'Sidiki'

timeless funk song of Mali

Featuring the golden voice of Salif Keita along with influential guitarists Kante Manfila and Ousmane Kouyate, bala player Keletigui Diabate, and Cheikh Tidane Seck on keyboards, Les Ambassadeurs were a legendary West African band in the 1970s and 80s, originating in Bamako, Mali. With their diverse influences in traditional Manding songs, African pop, Cuban jazz, soul and rock, Les Ambassadeurs helped establish some of the brightest future talents of the Malian music scene. When political unrest forced them to leave Mali, the band later changed their name to Les Ambassadeurs Internationales.

This song goes back centuries in Manding music, to the time of the Mali Empire. Les Ambassadeurs recorded their version in 1981, only a few decades after Mali's modern independence.

Sidiki is a man today for whom nothing seems to go right. Consequently, he has given up his faith in God and in his own destiny. Salif addresses this unfortunate and tells him to have faith in God, to have patience, to persevere and to be stoic in the face of his misfortune. The song takes a turn, then, and the body of the song introduces Faa Koli 'Kumba' Koroma, the famous Mandinka prince of the 13th century. Faa Koli, in contrast to Sidiki, was rich like Croesus- in gold, silver, in foodstuffs, livestock, in everything. In this portion of the song, Salif's voice takes on the pure style of those traditional heralds of the Manding, the griots. At the ending, the song returns once more to Sidiki, and consists of Salif's calls on behalf of Sidiki and the responses of the women who pray for Sidiki, so that heaven might grant his wishes.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Mali
• music
• Salif
• Keita
• Kante
• funk
• soul
• griot
• Africa
• world
• guitar
• bass
• rock
• dance
• techno
• Afrobeat
• jazz
• black
• folk
• pop
• R&B

[whateverhte]

thanks for the comment. can you tell who is doing what in the song? Kante Manfila seems to get more attention for his guitar.

[whateverhte]

merci, thank you everyone for watching, 谢谢

I'm so glad this video is finding popularity.

[whateverhte]

si quelqu'un voulait parler en une autre langue, le fait, c'est bien sur acceptable içi. (please talk about the song in ANY LANGUAGE.) maybe someone speaks Bambara & can understand all the words?

[whateverhte]

so this was from LP as well, btw.

[whateverhte]

sadly the only CD I've seen isn't easy to find (outside Africa, at least) and has worthless sound quality. I don't know if it's been on disc somewhere else. there are proper Ambassadeurs re-issues in the West lately but none with this song. make lots of people listen, maybe the song will get somewhere.. it has everything and is instantly so strong.

[01081907]

i was searching 4 sth relaxing and liked it very much

tnx from Turkey.

[MrDorleh]

This is the best of best of selif

[kom558]

Paix à l'ame de Manfila Kanté le grand Guitariste des Ambassadeurs décédé Mardi 20/07/2011 à paris 06h00.Le dernier des Manfilas à rendre l'ame! DIEU est grand!

[peacepalestine]

thanks for the song and especially for the explanation! how wonderful that all is!

[peacepalestine]

thanks for the song and especially for the explanation! how wonderful that all is!

[Saliffan]

This is Salif Keita with Kante Manfila in their early career (Les Ambassadeurs in the late 70s) when they were in Ivory Coast. This one of my favorite Salif songs due to the strength of his voice... that pull of voice is just so spiritual it just penetrates through the universe.

[mrtees2003]

Cuka loves Salif Keita. Javier Diaz sings just like him or tries to imatate.

[mrtees2003]

This song 'Sidiki' goes to show Salif Keita can sing any kind of music. It shows his greatness. Against all odds, Salif Keita has defied his enemies to make it to the top with class and appreciation for his African family.

[guldkornet]

agree, simply beautiful... and life

[AmaoNoBolso]

avec ca, la vie est belle