KUNBE, « meeting » in Bambara, is the result of several years of cooperation between French and Malian musicians.
The first album « Bamako-groove », recorded in Mali (studio Yeelen) and France (studio Adjololo), was released in 2015 with singer Mountaga Diabaté (Toumani Diabaté, Super Rail Band de Bamako, Mathieu Chedid «Lamomali»). Since then, KUNBE has carried out more than a hundred gigs (France, Belgium, Mali, Togo, Benin, Niger). In 2017, Issa Sory Bamba, son of legendary Sory Bamba from Kanaga orchestra of Mopti, joined the band.
The three Malian musicians : Morissanda Diabaté (drums), Sékou Marcel Coulibaly (guitar) and Abdoulaye Koussoubé (percussion) perform daily in the hottest clubs in Bamako and accompany the greatest artists of West Africa (Salif Keita, Toumani Diabaté, Oumou Sangaré…). They are virtuoso masters of every Malian music (Bambara, Malinke, Fula, Songhai, Wassoulou…) and know how to blend their culture with the fusion and western arrangements.
The Livenais Brothers Vincent (keyboards), Jean-Louis (guitar) and Antoine (bass) are loyal to their rock identity and it’s not their first mixing project with African artists. With Jimi Hope (Togo) between 1994 and 1996, and since 2000 with Lassana Coulibaly, creator of the Yelemba company of Abidjan (Ivory Coast), with which they founded the ethno rock band Akeikoi. They also accompanied and produced many artists among whom Paco Koné (Burkina Faso), Segun Ola (Nigeria).
Ever with this singularity to spontaneously associate – with the greatest integrity – the energy and colour of rock with African poly-rhythmic melodies, KUNBE is working on the release of their next album, expected in 2023.
Artists :
- Issa Sory Bamba : lead vocal
- Sékou Marcel Coulibaly : guitar
- Antoine Livenais : bass
- Morissansa Diabaté : drums
- Jean-Louis Livenais : guitar
- Abdoulaye Koussoubé : djembe
- Vincent Livenais : keyboards.