Salif Keita
By All Music Guide
By All Music Guide
In 1977, Keita received the prestigious National Order of Guinea from President Ahmed Sekou Toure. Encouraged to pursue a solo career, Keita moved to Paris in 1984. Settling in the citys Montreuil section, he found a thriving community of more than 15,000 transplanted Malians. Predictions of success proved true with the release of Keitas debut solo album, Soro, in 1987. Produced by Ibrahim Sylla, the album combined African, jazz, funk, Europop, and R&B influences. Keita continued his recording career with several releases for Mango throughout the 90s, including the Mansa of Mali anthology, before moving to Blue Note for Papa in 1999 and then Decca, where he debuted with Moffou in 2002. Moffou was considered some of Keitas finest work to date, and he received a Grammy nomination for the album. Keita then returned to Bamako, Mali, in order to record his next full-length effort, MBemba, which came out in 2006.
