Last week, African music lost one of its giants, his guitarist Amadou Bagayoko, who was a guitarist who recorded with American rock stars, performed at Barack Obama's Nobel concert and became a national idol in his family's Mali.
Mr. Bagayoko formed the duo Amadou & Mariam with his wife Mariam Doumbia, which was named “Beautiful Sunday” in the 2000s and 2010s.
Mr Bagayoko, who died last week at the age of 70, suffered from complications of malaria infection. He and his 66-year-old wife are scheduled to perform in Europe next month. Since their global success has reached its peak, their reputation has faded in the United States, but they are still numerous celebrities Music from Europe and West Africa inspired generations of artists.
We wrote Amadou & Mariam’s favorite songs to Mr. Bagayoko’s relatives and friends, and the meaning of the guitarist and his music – a fusion of blues riffs, guitar solos and Djembe.
'toubala kono'
He has known Mr. Bagayoko's Cheick Tidiane Seck since the guitarist, attended a concert last week at the neighboring Ivory Coast when Mr. Bagayoko died.
A song written by Mr. Seck and Mr. Bagayoko opens with a song he calls “Brothers.”
But he said in an interview: “I'll break down.”
The song has only one spare guitar for a round impromptu riff, surrounding a sense of loneliness, Mr. Seck said that it has bothered him since his friend’s death.
'Mogoa'
Sam Bagayoko is the only child to have accepted a music career among Mr. Bagayoko and Ms. Doumbia’s three children. He toured with his parents and toured in Paris, and this summer, when Mr. Bagayoko died, he held a planned concert in France.
He said in a telephone interview with Bamako, Mali’s capital and family home that his parents were particularly proud of how their songs have always attracted the younger generation, and tourists this week came.
His favorite song is “Mogoya”, which he performed with him for his parents. In this song, he plays the guitar with his father, his mother sings daily life in Mali and promises people often don’t keep it.
“It's always a privilege to play with my parents, but this is the last time we work together. I'll never see or hear my dad's guitar anymore,” said Sam, 45.
“I miss you”
Idrissa Soumaoro is a famous Mali musician and singer who met with Mr. Bagayoko in 1973. At the age of 19, he joined the band Les Band Du Motel du Motel de Bamako.
He soon saw that “Amadou is bright and ambitious,” he said.
Later in that decade, Mr. Soumaoro trained Mr. Bagayoko and Ms. Doumbia at the National School of Blind in Mali, where they deepened their friendship. (Mr. Bagayoko and his wife are both blind.
At school, Sumoro said, they would listen to Blues in the rehearsal room for hours, working on tone, called “research work, like research work I've never done with any other musician.”
Mr. Soumaoro chose a love song “I Think of You” released by the duo in 2005, and he said the couple's love “is also part of their success.”
“In it, Amadu sang, 'I think of you, don't abandon me,'” Mr. Sumoro was 75 years old. “He didn't give up on her, but the sad reality is that he's gone.”
He added: “I hope Mariam will have the ability to endure life.”
