Radio Martiko

21/04/2026

The Horoya Band of Kankan were elevated to the level of “national orchestra” in 1971 and relocated
to the capital, Conakry, where they joined Guinea’s five other national orchestras (Keletigui et ses
Tambourinis, Balla et ses Balladins, Super Boiro Band, Les Amazones de Guinee and Bembeya Jazz). Their relocation meant that the city of Kankan and its surrounding areas were without the
representation of an orchestre regional. The 22 Band were named as the new orchestra of Kankan,
and they featured many musicians who had close ties with the Horoya Band. Sandaly “Balakala”
Kouyaté, for example, was the former lead guitarist of the Horoya Band and was named as the 22
Band’s inaugural chef d’orchestre. Sidy Diabaté (vocals) and Diely Laye Diabaté (bass) were brothers of Diely Fodé Diabaté, one of lead singers of the Horoya Band, and along with Bintou Laye Lènkè
Condé on rhythm guitar, they deliver “Deny”, a tale of a warrior's son whom no one can dissuade from following in his father’s footsteps and waging war for the honour of his besieged homeland. The 22 Band were originally named as “Le 22 Novembre Band”, after the date of the Portuguese invasion of 1971. They won the “best orchestra” award at Guinea’s 10th Festival Culturel National in
1973

16/04/2026

Listen to 'Paulette' by Balla Et Ses Balladins from the Radio Martiko 2LP Music For A Revolution Vol2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlPbhMlnM58&list=RDtlPbhMlnM58&start_radio=1

As with “Sakoudougou” on Volume 1, Balla et ses Balladins delivers one of African popular music’s
most outstanding songs. “Paulette” was composed by Emile “Benny” Soumah, one of the group’s lead singers, and Ibrahima Kouyaté, the group’s lead guitarist who took over the role after the forced
exit of Sékou “Le Docteur” Diabaté to the Quintette Guinéenne. The song honours Paulette Diakité, a
patron or “godmother” of the orchestra, and it proclaims the bond between them: “Tchêya ma ko
tiniè, mousso ya ma ko tiniè. Fougareya lé qu’a ko tiniè n’aa, Paulette”. (Translation from Malinké:
Being a man doesn’t spoil anything, being a woman doesn’t spoil anything. It’s mistrust that spoils
everything, Paulette”). Other lyrics in the song remind us that “trust is a hard thing to find”, however the vocal duo of Emile “Benny” Soumah and Manfila “Soba” Kanté declare that they trust Paulette and their lyrics praise her Diakité family name in a manner typical of West Africa’s griots. Fodé N’Diaye’s tenor sax solo gives way to Ibrahima Kouyaté on lead guitar. For the next two minutes he treats us to a journey which explores the melodic possibilities of the song, from high on the fretboard to low, alternating between rhythm and lead, and producing one of the great guitar solos

14/04/2026

Listen to 'Fabara' by Syli Authentic, from the Radio Martiko 2LP 'Music For A Revolution Vol2'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MZ1r9EpCNc&list=RD0MZ1r9EpCNc&start_radio=1

AS the 1970s progressed, and as many Guinean orchestras entered their second decade, a new wave of younger orchestras (Camayenne Sofa, Kaloum Star, etc) began to make their mark. These groups signalled a new direction for Guinean popular music - a rawer sound which emanated directly from their urban roots while still being faithful to traditional musical styles. The liner notes to Syli Authentic’s only LP for Syliphone reveal that the group’s “ambition is to shake things up to carve out a place for themselves”. “Fabara” is a song about patriotism to the Fatherland. Musically, it is one of the most “modern” songs recorded by Syliphone and points to a new direction for Guinean popular music which had left Cuban music and jazz behind. Syli Authentic were founded by René Benis Soumah, the group’s bass player. Many of the other musicians in the band were students at the local
Gamal Abdel Nasser University in Conakry III. The musicians of Guinea’s six National Orchestras were
responsible for training many of the young and upcoming musicians in Guinea’s regional orchestras. Thus, Boubacar Bah, the solo guitarist of Syli Authentic, was taught by Lansana Condé, the lead
guitarist of the Horoya Band National. Boubacar’s guitar solo in “Fabara” is astounding, unique and
utterly breathtaking. It seems to reinvent itself half-way through, then retraces its steps, turns itself INside out, and never ceases to amaze. The flute is by Agibou Barry with deft percussion by Cheik daw. Max Camara and Yaya “El Bangou” Bangoura shared the vocals in Syli Authentic, though it is Bangoura’s high-pitched tenor on “Fabara”.

08/04/2026

Listen to 'Nana' by Sombory Jazz De Fria from the Radio Martiko 2LP 'Music For A Revolution Vol2

https://youtu.be/bkRrJaosHHk?is=ZF0JJhcGaUfFAgw6

The Republic of Guinea was divided into 36 regions, or préfectures, with each region assigned its own
orchestra, choir, dance troupe and instrumental ensemble. The musicians of the regional orchestras wwre on the government payroll and received a monthly wage, but they also kept their “day jobs”
where they worked as carpenters, taxi drivers, teachers, etc. The mining town of Fria’s orchestra,
Sombory Jazz, consisted of mine workers during the day who performed as the orchestra’s musicians at night. Famoro Kouyaté was the chef d’orchestre and lead guitarist. His wah-wah style guitar lurks
behind the band and supports the alto sax solo by Salifou Camara, before breaking loose and
exploring its own territory. “Nana” was originally released on the compilation LP “Spécial Xème
Festival National” which celebrated the outstanding performances of the festival. Sombory Jazz also
released an instrumental version of the song as “Nananina” on Syliphone SLP 54.

01/04/2026

Listen to 'Gbassikolo' by Kaloum Star. From the Radio Martiko album 'Music For A Revolution Vol2'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOal8hRAmGI&list=RDLOal8hRAmGI&start_radio=1

Conakry’s inner-city orchestra, Kaloum Star, released six songs on Syliphone through three 45 rpm singles. From their last release comes “Gbassikolo”, a song which honours the local powerful spirit or "djinn” who is the unrivalled protector of the Kaloum area and its neighbourhoods. Guinean popular music abounds with references to the spirit world. “Mami wata”, for example, honours the female spirit protector of waterways and rivers, with versions of the song dating to the early 1900s and made popular by many groups including Bembeya Jazz. In “Gbassikolo”, Amadou Barry provides an excellent solo on the tenor sax, while the lead guitar of Mamadou “M. C.” Camara is also very striking and builds to an impressive solo

24/03/2026

Listen to 'Zoumana' by Horoya Band. From the Radio Martiko 2LP 'Music For A Revolution Vol2'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oN3qS_ELBVE&list=RDoN3qS_ELBVE&start_radio=1

President Sékou Touré’s influence on Guinean society from 1958 to his death in 1984 was profound and extended far beyond cultural policies and music. Touré’s government enacted widespread
progressive reforms across many sectors, including empowering Guinean women through new
legislation which addressed equal opportunities, rights to property and marriage laws. In support of
these, the Horoya Band National presented “Zoumana” on their first and only LP for Syliphone. The original liner notes indicate that the song is a vocalised complaint of a bride-to-be whom a king had proposed to one of his old courtiers. The young woman pleads: “Don't give me in marriage to that
old man. I won't have any children, and when he dies in the near future I'll be an old woman without
having lived a woman's life”. While authenticité is widely understood as a cultural policy which
promoted the positive values of Africa’s past to educate and progress modern society, it should also be understood more broadly as a critique of the past, with Guinea’s government, under President
Sékou Touré, providing the guiding path. The Horoya Band National thus present a tale which is
critical of outmoded ways of living within the context of new laws intended to develop and
modernise Guinean society. The Horoya Band were created in 1960 in Kankan, when they were
known as Milo Jazz, after the local Milo river. In 1971, after winning the “best orchestra” category on three occasions at Guinea’s national arts festivals, they were bestowed the honour of National
Orchestra. “Zoumana” commences with a fanfare of brass, led by Métoura Traoré and Nabi Camara
on saxophones and Yébé Traoré and Alkaly Touré on trumpets. Lanciné Kanté delivers the lead vocals and is ably supported throughout by Fodé Diabaté. Excellent drumming by Ansoumané Kaloka and
Lamine Camara on congas. When Sandaly "Balakala" Kouyaté left the Horoya Band after their
nationalisation in 1971 to lead Kankan's new orchestra, the "22 Band", his lead guitar role was taken up by Lansana Condé.

23/03/2026

Platte der Woche:
Music For A Revolution Vol 2 : Guinea's Syliphone Recording Label (1968-1980) ( )

This is the second of a two-volume release which presents a selection of the best songs from Guinea's Syliphone recording label. This volume focuses on recordings from the 1970s, when Guinea’s authenticité policy had transformed the nation's music through a network of over 30 orchestras, each representing their local region, and each presenting Guinean musical traditions alongside the influences of Cuban music, jazz and funk.

18/03/2026

Listen to 'Festival' by 'Le Simandou De Beyla'. From the Radio Martiko 2LP 'Music for a Revolution Vol2'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_n0Xs1zezs&list=RDD_n0Xs1zezs&start_radio=1

When Bembeya Jazz became a national orchestra in 1966 and were relocated to Conakry, their home
town of Beyla was left without an official orchestra. The Simandou Jazz orchestra were chosen as the
new orchestra for the town and its region, taking their name from the local Simandou river. The
group were led by Aboubacar Doukouré on trumpet with M’Bemba Camara leading a quartet of
vocalists. Souleymane Condé on congas and Moriba Kaba on drums, however, are the stars of this
song which celebrates the successes of Guinea’s cultural festivals. They provide the frenetic
tentemba rhythm upon which Sékou Camara, a tenor sax player who deserves greater acclaim,
provides the first solo, punctuating the tempo with a selection of well-chosen notes. He is followed
by Aboubacar Doukouré on trumpet and Mamadi Condé on lead electric guitar.

13/03/2026

'Douga' by Quintette Guinéenne. From the Radio Martiko album 'Music For A Revolution Vol2'

An interpretation of the traditional song “Douga” performed by Miriam Makeba’s backing group.
Moussa Konaté, the genius sound engineer responsible for Syliphone’s remarkable audio fidelity,
captures the quintet in amazing form. His application of echo to the mix of Amadou Thiam’s drumkit
is years ahead of its time. Coupled with the congas of Abdou Camara, it provides a base for Sékou “Le
Docteur” Diabaté to demonstrate his amazing talents on the lead guitar. From the original LP
“Musique sans paroles”, a collection of instrumental recordings.

12/03/2026

Check out this review of 'Music For A Revolution Vol2' on HHV Records by

Various Artists – Music For A Revolution Vol. 2: Guinea’s Syliphone Recording Label 1968‑1980

10/03/2026

Listen to 'So I Si Sa' by Super Boiro Band. From the Radio Martiko 2LP Music For A Revolution Vol2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpZ155tJD7o&list=RDfpZ155tJD7o&start_radio=1

The Republican Guard were Guinea’s elite military brigade who were based at Camp Camayenne, a
few kilometres from Conakry’s city centre. The camp was later turned into a prison and renamed as
Camp Mamadou Boiro. As with other military and regimented units, the Republican Guard had its
own orchestra, and when it grew too large it was split into two formations, one of which became the
Super Boiro Band. “So I si sa” features the electric organ, which was first used in Guinean music by
the orchestra Keletigui et ses Tambourinis, with the Super Boiro Band including it in their lineup
shortly after. Mamadi Kouyaté’s pulsating flourishes on the organ and his solo are a standout in this
song, as are the rising crescendos of the brass section. Also noteworthy is the lead guitar solo by
Karan-Mady Diawara and the song’s surging rhythms led by Mamadouba Bangoura on the drums.