Origin Labe, Guinea Music director The African Child Role Singer | Name Momo Soumah Years active 1951–2003 | |
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Born 1926 ( 1926 ) Genres Jazz, African traditional Occupation(s) Musician, singer, composer, musical director Instruments Tenor saxophone, Alto saxophone, Clarinet, Banjo, Mandolin Associated acts La Joviale Symphony, La Douce Parisette, Syli Orchestra, Keletigui et ses Tambourins, Wandel Sextet, Circus Baobab Died June 15, 2003, Dixinn, Guinea Albums Afro Swing, Momo Le Doyen, Matchowe (Guinea) Record labels Buda Musique, Fonti Musicali Similar People Netherlands Wind Ensemble, Keletigui Et Ses Tambourinis, Lobi Traore, Djeli Moussa Diawara, Les Ballets Africains | ||
Momo Wandel Soumah - Felenko Yefe
Momo Wandel Soumah (died June 15, 2003) was a singer, composer, and saxophonist from Guinea, recognisable by his characteristic gravelly voice.
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Soumah started out in the 1950s playing in dance bands, but moved to modern Guinean music following the cultural revolution. He was a part of the greatly influential Syli Orchestra (originally Syli Orchestre National) who were formed under the instruction of the first elected president Sekou Toure. The group of Guinea's elite musicians were selected to travel throughout Guinea and inspire and instruct musicians across the country and help set up the regional orchestras that were key to Sekou Toure's 'Authenticité' programme to promote and proliferate 'authentic' Guinean traditional music after colonial rule. From the mid 1980s Soumah developed an idiosyncratic blend of jazz and African traditional music.
He died suddenly on June 15, 2003. At the time of his death Soumah was musical director of Circus Baobab.