★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

ZOUMANA TERETA : MARIDJÉ NIARE
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

Another awesome artist originated from Niger, Zoumana Tereta accompany  with his  sokou ( mono-cord violon )  the most famous malian artists and bands  like Oumou Sangaré, Djeneba Seck, National Badema, Ensemble instrumental du Mali and others...
He's also a great singer with a deep rugged bluesy voice.
This man is one of the most recommanded malian musician for his perfect ability to play his sokou ( so = horse, kou = tail ) on any pentatonic scales.
Few words about this instrument, it named "sokou" in malinké and bambara, "njarka" in tamashek, "nyanoro" in fulbé, and  "ritti" in wolof.
 Probably dues to its sound and the kind of sneaky rawling melodies played on, it says that sokou has some strongs magical skills and mentioned to be a powerful link beetween humans and spirits.
It built with middle cutted little calabash with a skin of a big lezard named "kgana" fixed with nails, sometime skin goat is used, but it can' t stay tight as long as kgana and sounds more muddy.
Cord and arc are made of horsehair on which is rubbed a piece of resin wood before playing it to make horsehair grips and sounding louder.
Its size make it an easy-to-bring instrument, this must be the reason why violon, in Africa as in Europe is particulary appreciated in (semi-)nomadists cultures, groups and peoples.
Zoumana was a driver truck beetween Ivory Coast and Mali for 28 yrs, always bring his sokou with him during his travelling ,
'til the day he decides he could be able to live by his music.



   

disco. Zoumana TERETA: "Niger Blues"  Prod : Cobalt  2003