Moussa Diakite

Moussa Diakite - New Album: Kanafo

Hi, my name is Moussa Diakite. I'm a guitarist from Mali, living in Sydney, Australia. I've just recorded a new album with my band Wassado and some incredible special guests and I'm asking for your help to cover the costs of pressing the record to vinyl.

I’ve had a diverse career as a guitarist based in Africa, which included being part of iconic Malian band Super Rail Band, and lead guitarist for Salif Kieta. Since moving to Australia in 1995 to marry my wife Jessy, I've played all around the country with my band Wassado including WOMAD and Woodford Folk Festival. I also released an album called Doncomodja in 2016.

My new album, Kanafo, was recorded late last year and has a selection of new songs written by me and played by my band Wassado, Junior Jones, Len Samperi, Phillipe Lincy and Patricia Alvarez. It was recorded at Golden Retriever Studios and produced by Julian Bel Bashir, mixed by Alex Richardson, and mastered by Darren Zeigler at Polybonk. We have some amazing guest musicians on the album, Stuart Fergie (Oka), Oliver McGill (The Cat Empire), Julian Bel Bashir and respected Malian instrumentalists Bassidi Kone, Bassekou Kouyate and Djelimadi Toungara. The album is an exploration between African traditional culture and Indigenous Australian music.

We've already received some funding from Australia Council and Create NSW and are working with Big Village Records to helping to release the album. This album has been the culmination of years of work and we would love to have the album on vinyl.

I am really proud of this album. I think it is the best project I ever done and I would love for you to be involved.

We have a bunch of rewards for helping out such as CDs, vinyl package, guitar lesson, house concert.

- Moussa Diakite

Moussa Diakite - photo by Mike magee

Kanafo - The Story So Far 

Kanafo

Kanafo, the album title, alludes to sharing secrets and forging relationships through revealing knowledge. The album combines both traditional and modern instruments in a bid to bridge the gap between past and present.

Writing process

The new album features 9 of my original compositions. When writing my songs, I get inspiration from all sorts of things, from watching cartoons, to listening to other music. I like to sit next to my guitar and drink tea and then when an idea comes I just start experimenting with my guitar.

Phillipe Lincy - photo by Mike Magee

Pre-production rehearsals

My band Wassado rehearsed for 6 weeks intensively before the recording. We played with different arrangements before deciding on the best one.

Alex Richardson & Julian Bel Bashir at Golden Retriever Studios - photo by Mike Magee

Recording at Golden Retriever

We chose to record at Golden Retriever Studios in Marrickville because it had an analog reel to reel tape recorder, which was used extensively in the 1970. This has given the album a lovely, warm sound, similar to those early recordings.

Album guests

I met Basside Kone at Island Vibes Festival on Stradbroke Island.  At that time, he was in Melbourne. We discussed the recording I was doing and he agreed to come and record with us. We were really lucky as this was pre-Covid-19 and he was able to travel.

Mixing in Bellingen

Julian and I travelled to Bellingen over Christmas 2019 and New Year to work on the editing and mixing there.

Artwork painting from Stu

I did some recording for Stu and his band Oka and at that time Stu did a drawing of me which I have used as the CD cover. Dean Beverley, NMBR19, has designed the CD and vinyl packaging.

Moussa Diakite, Jessy Diakite, Patricia Alvarez & Len Sampari & Golden Retriever Studios - photo by Mike Magee

Release

We are releasing the album through Big Village Records and my own label Wassa Records. We are working with publicist Heapsaflash in Brisbane to spread the word to media.

The first single will be released in late Sept and the album will come out in October. The vinyl will take a few months to be pressed up by Zenith Records in Melbourne and should arrive in Feb – March 2021. If you choose a reward that includes a vinyl, you will receive the digital album on the week of release and the vinyl in 2021.

Bassidi Kone, Mallin Sylla, Patricia Alvarez & Julian Bel Bashir - photo by Mike Magee 

Biography

Moussa Diakite is a guitarist, singer and composer born in Mali, now based in Western Sydney. His style is derived from the “Wassoulou” style of music from Bougouni area of Mali, fused with elements of Malian, Congolese, Highlife, Afro Beat, Cuban, Blues, and Jazz.

Moussa Diakite spent his foundational years in the iconic Afro-Latin “Rail Band” (also known as Super Rail Band) from 1979 to 1983. They were one of the first bands to combine elements of Cuban and Congolese Jazz with West African rhythms, melodies and instrumentation like the Kora and the Belafon. Moussa Diakite played with Grammy Award-winning Kora player, Toumani Diabate, and his live band from 1983 to 1987 in Mali before joining Salif Kieta's live band and joining him on multiple world tours between 1990 – 1995.

Since moving to Australia in 1996, he has played with leading West African bands including Senegal and Guinean inspired band, Keyin Ba, and his own bands: Badema and Wassado. Moussa’s current band Wassado features Junior Jones, Len Samperi, Phillipe Lincy and Patricia Alvarez. Moussa Diakite & Wassado, have played many Australian festivals, including Womadelaide 2018, and Bellingen Festival, Mullum Festival, Woodford Folk Festival and Illawarra Folk Festival in 2019.

Moussa Diakite released his debut solo album, Doncomodja, in 2016. The album was recorded in Mali in 2014, mixed in France and was produced by Simon Olsen.

Moussa Diakite playing with Salif Kieta in the 90's.

Moussa Diakite & Wassado at Womad 2018

Video by Mike Magee

We will need $2500 to get 200 vinyls pressed through Melbourne Record Pressing company Zenith Records.

We will also need $350 to get the design for the vinyl, $500 for publicity costs with our publicist Heapsaflash, $300 for music video services from Maia Dal Berger and $350 for new press shots of Moussa for the album release.

Vinyl Pressing - $2500

Vinyl Design - $350

Publicity - $500

Video - $300

Press Shots - $350

Total - $4000