Tiken Jah Fakoly

Cote d'Ivoire

Biography :

TIKEN JAH FAKOLY – AFRICAN REVOLUTION

« African Revolution » is a radical turning point in Tiken Jah Fakoly’s career. Tiken Jah Fakoly has always taken risks challenging the Disinformation: standing out as the spokesman for millions of young African people, joining the lineage of Peter Tosh and Bob Marley, « the voice for those without voices.“

With the new album « African Revolution » is exactly what he claims: African and revolutionary. Before anything else he is revolutionary in his method of work. A trip to Tuff Gong, Bob Marley’s studio in Kingston, was inevitable to place these three rhythmic sizes: Glen Browne (bass), Marc Dawson (drum kit) and Mickey Chung (guitar). Then there was Bamako. It is there, in his studio that Tiken concocted the music on the border of reggae and the « mandingue blues. »

The magic tones of ngoni, kora, soukou (violin with one chord) and balafon were familiar to us, but Tiken knew how to capture their soul. Five years of exile in Bamako enabled him to penetrate into the talented generation of the Griot sons, such as the player of ngoni Andra Kouyaté, who is growing very successful over there. These young wolves of the « new tradition » bring to Tiken’s music an unpublished lyrical bitterness, and a subtle off centered shift in Jamaican rhythmic

Tiken wrote most of the songs, sometimes assisted by his old accomplice from Zebda, Magyd Cherfi. I do not want your power is Jeanne Cherhal’s text and Let me express myself by Mr Toma, hope from the Parisian scene. I say no is a signed text and music by Féfé (Saïan Supa Crew).

African Revolution stands out as a ranging-milestone, not only for the artist, yet for all the reggae stages. A breath of fresh air, an example that will hand out the grain to grind an all-new generation …

But above all this album transcends the genres and projects a new sound, anchored in the tradition and modern determination, so that Africa will never cease to charm and amaze us.