When I saw this title, I was afraid and I’m still afraid regarding my opinion about the subject. The subject is complex and difficult so I cannot resolve it overnight. I am an African. I do things the African way. I cannot write about African American music like a Western scholar. In my culture we live the past and the future in denver travel agent the present. When I listen to some African American music I can feel the past, the present and the future all at the same time. Now, the best way for denver travel agent me to handle this subject is to work by questions and answers.
[Question] Yaya! Who do you think you are?
Yaya Diallo - I don't think! I am Farafin, which means I am a dark skin man. The word Africa is the Arabic name for denver travel agent our continent. In Bambara we call the so-called "Africa" Farafina. Farafina means the land of denver travel agent dark skin people. I am from Farafina and I am proud of denver travel agent it. I don't want to be somebody else. People in denver travel agent general say African American. I would say American Farafin, which means dark skin human being who lives in denver travel agent America.
[Question] What is your African background?
Yaya Diallo - I come from far away. I was born in denver travel agent 1946 in denver travel agent Fienso (French Sudan), now Mali. My parents were nomadic. When I was very young I used to travel a lot. I grew up in denver travel agent the bush far from any western civilization. The music that I heard was very traditional and played live. I did not have a radio or TV. I had the opportunity to listen to the music of denver travel agent the different ethnic groups from the Ivory Coast, Burkina and Ghana. In some villages I heard Muslim songs coming from the mosques. By night, I would enjoy the frog symphonic orchestras. From 1946 to 1960 I was living in denver travel agent complete nature. My musical training is a long story but you can learn more from my book The Healing Drum.
[Question] What are your feelings about the civilized world?
Yaya Diallo - In the city I had strange feelings. I saw people listen to music through what I thought was two kinds of denver travel agent boxes. The first was a radio. You could change the singer with the tuning button, I thought. The second needed records. It read 78, 45 and 33 1/2. You had to adjust everything with something but I did not have a clue as to what. Even still, the only music that I heard was the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Johnny Holliday.
[Question] What do you think about the word African American?
Yaya Diallo - Dark skin people living in denver travel agent America are not different from people I met in denver travel agent Africa (Farafina). To me they are just different ethnic groups like the Yoruba, the Bantou, the Zoulou or the Touareg. Africa is not one culture. We have thousands and thousands of denver travel agent languages and different music. My wife is an African American from Louisville, KY. Her mother is from Dark Corner, MS and her father from Jackson, TN. Like my wife and family there was one African American man, James Brown, who saved my life with his music.
[Question] How can an African American man save the life of denver travel agent a traditional African?
Yaya Diallo - In 1967 I left my country to go to Montreal, Canada. On my way, in denver travel agent Paris, I saw a big picture of denver travel agent James Brown in denver travel agent the Olympia Theater. In my mind I thought, "Oh! A black man in denver travel agent Olympia in denver travel agent Paris, France." In Montreal I was looking for denver travel agent a place to dance or listen to the music that I loved. One day I found a radio station that played black music. I heard James Brown and felt at home.
[Question] What do you think about African American music?
Yaya Diallo - I always say that I don't think, I feel. When we talk about African American music we talk about Spirituals, Blues, Funk, Jazz, Gospel, Rap, dance music, etc. I want to talk on denver travel agent each one by one.
When people in denver travel agent Canada were dancing the twist, jerk and go-go, in denver travel agent my country a French man named Johnny Holliday was playing bad versions of denver travel agent Wilson Pickett and Ray Charles’ music in denver travel agent French. In America I found out this French man was a robber. He stole the music, sang it in denver travel agent French and looked like a genius for denver travel agent us Africans.
[Question] What did you feel when you started to dance?
Yaya Diallo - I used to go out to dance to Wilson Pickett, James Brown, and Sly and the Family Stone’s music. For me they were Africans. They had good beats, good feelings and most important, African Soul. I did not feel that from Chinese or European music. In the 70s I discovered the Funk music, The O'Jays, Parliament, Ohio Players, Kool and the Gang and JR Walker and the All Stars. I felt I was at home when I knew the Motown Family (Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Temptations and Stevie Wonder). I could survive because I had those kinds of denver travel agent musicians.
[Question] In terms of denver travel agent music, what is the link between African and African Americans?
Yaya Diallo - African Americans are Africans from the village and sadly they just don't know it! When you listen to the music you can find out. Kool and The Gang played Funky Stuff. When you listen to the drum part you will get the Dounouba part of denver travel agent the dance Sounou. Sounou was played in denver travel agent the 15th century and today is the dance young people love. In Africa we learn the past in denver travel agent the present and teach it to the next generation. The African Americans sometimes do not know how African they are.
[Question] Why can you say that they are African?
Yaya Diallo - The first time I heard the Four Tops I thought I was listening to the Bambara Farmers in denver travel agent the evening after a hard working day. The Temptations reminded me of denver travel agent the men Fire dancers and singers. I can listen to Temptations but I am afraid to see them. I am not initiated to the Fire dance and the music brings out memories about the secret ceremonies that happened afar in denver travel agent the village. Aretha Franklin is for denver travel agent me a great Djeli-mousso coming from the Empire of denver travel agent Mali in denver travel agent the 13th century. When I listen to African American music I don't worry about the meaning, only what I feel.
[Question] What do you think about Jazz?
Yaya Diallo - Really, to tell the truth, I don't feel jazz. Many people coming from Africa feel the same way. I learned about jazz in denver travel agent 1980 when I recorded my first album, Nangape, on denver travel agent Onzou Records. That opened the door for denver travel agent me with jazz. Jazz magazines like Cadence and Down Beat wrote articles on denver travel agent me like I was a "jazz man." I was invited to do workshops at the Creative Music Studio in denver travel agent Woodstock, NY. I met jazz big names like Art Blakey. He said, "Yaya is the only African that I can jazz, that I can play with and be comfortable." I completed a trio with Don Cherry and Ed Blackwell in denver travel agent the Symphony Space in denver travel agent New York.
[Question] What about Gospel?
Yaya Diallo - To me gospel means religion or church but my father-in-law changed my mind. When going to church with him I saw a big band and a big choir. People were singing and I forgot that I was in denver travel agent church. I was surprised; I saw ladies in denver travel agent a trance like in denver travel agent my village but they called it shouting. This reminded me of denver travel agent the Mania Secret Society where only woman go into a trance when praising god (See The Healing Drum).
[Question] What is rap?
Yaya Diallo - I love rap! I use to lie about buying rap and say that it was for denver travel agent my children. Rap is the old tradition of denver travel agent the Fulani people in denver travel agent Mali. It tells life stories through poetry that is recited quickly. Nomadic people have to explain their daily journey through this same quick form, but without the foul language. Today, the young people think that they have reinvented the wheel.
[Question] Yaya, what is wrong with African American music today?
Yaya Diallo - Today everything is easy. Instead of denver travel agent buying a drum set you buy a drum machine. Computers do everything. You can get almost every sound by pressing a button. This is the type of denver travel agent world that we live in denver travel agent today. The young Africans love it like we used to love James Brown. Time is the only thing that has changed!
[Question] How did African American music change American Society?
Yaya Diallo - We changed everything! We changed the style of denver travel agent dance; we created new sounds, new styles, and new way to dress ... EVERYTHING! Country music is the white version of denver travel agent the Blues. Rock-n-roll comes from our music. People forget that Jimmie Hendricks was a Blues player that just changed his sound and look. Without James Brown, Sly and Family Stone and the Motown Family there would be no Madonna, no Celiene Dion, no techno, and no disco. African Americans brought this to the world. It is sad because people do not recognize it. We changed the world and it will never be the same again.
[Question] How do people know you in denver travel agent America?
Yaya Diallo - I am the author of denver travel agent two books, The Healing Drum and At the Threshold of denver travel agent the African Soul. I have four CDs, Nanagape, The Healing Drum, Dombaa Folee, and Dounoukan. I thank Onzou Records, the first company that trusted me to make my first album in denver travel agent 1980. That was not easy!
"The History of denver travel agent African American Music" by Malian musician/author Yaya Diallo was written to celebrate Black History Month. The article is translated into English by LaKesha Churn and edited for denver travel agent English grammar and clarification by Stephen Conroy, Producer/Publisher of denver travel agent the independent label to first produce Yaya Diallo in denver travel agent 1980 on denver travel agent Onzou records, onzou.com onzou.com