Salif Keïta, “The Golden Voice of Africa” and recipient of Best World Music 2010 award, is to perform at the Royal Opera House Muscat (ROHM) on January 28.
World Music is an important dimension of ROHM’s global programming and Salif Keïta is seen as an excellent representative of the music and culture of Oman’s neighbours in Africa as well.
An exceptional and charismatic musician, he is blessed with royal heritage since he is the direct descendant of the founder of the Mali Empire, Sundiata Keita.
Salif was cast away by his family because of his inauspicious birth as an albino and made his way in life as a popular singer and song-writer.
He is now one of the most influential and inspiring musicians of his generation, and is counted in the same league as fellow luminaries Yossou N’Dour and Miriam Makeba.
Keïta’s life and career are distinguished by his humanitarian efforts. He famously performed at Nelson Mandela’s Seventieth Birthday Tribute Concert in 1988 in aid of securing Mandela's release from prison. Salif Keïta is also known for his support of AIDS campaigns.
In 2004 he was designated United Nations Ambassador for Music and Sports, a prestigious appointment that inspired Keïta to assist in efforts to fight malaria, as well as to further address problems relating to Albinos.
La Difference, a soulful jazz album about love and compassion towards albinos and others who are different, and is known for the memorable line - “Let everyone get his love and dignity/the world will be beautiful" - won the prestigious Best World Music 2010 award.
This unique artist combines traditional West African music styles with influences from both Europe and the Americas. His captivating music explores the boundaries of jazz traditions with Afro-world fusion sounds and innovative effects. Keita's sound is infused with that of traditional African instruments in addition to electric and acoustic guitars, the saxophone and trumpet.
His compositions include songs from Africa, adapted in contemporary ways, often with Western instrumentation and Latin-like rhythms from the samba or rumba.
Keita’s first solo album, Soro, was released in 1987 and marked the beginning of what is still an uninterrupted recording tradition.
World Music is an important dimension of ROHM’s global programming and Salif Keïta is seen as an excellent representative of the music and culture of Oman’s neighbours in Africa as well.
His performance at the ROHM on Thursday, January 28th, 2016 at 7.00 pm is expected to resonate with a broad cross-section of ROHM audiences. The evening promises to be full of exciting rhythm, and the sound of the ‘Golden Voice’ for which Keita is renowned.
