On February 27, 2023, one of the pillars of the Touré Kunda group, Ismaïla Touré, died at the age of 73. A fervent supporter of universal musical multiculturalism, he often spoke on our airwaves to defend this open-mindedness which he held so dear. Without ever denying his Senegalese roots, he called for ever greater tolerance and listening among the peoples of the world. In 2008, he came to hammer home his convictions with his brother Sixu, during the publication of the eclectic album ” Santhiaba “. His remarks remain totally relevant. We pay tribute to him by listening to this interview carefully preserved in our archives.
Since the 1980s, Touré Kunda has accompanied our daily lives thanks to a repertoire that we hum with, let’s face it, the nostalgia of an era during which African music found an echo in the hearts of Europeans. Who does not remember today this melody entitled ” Emma which revealed the “elephant family” in 1980? Gradually, the Touré brothers imposed an idiom inherited from their ancestral traditions. However, they have never dismissed the fervent supporters of a global soundscape. When we talked about “World-Music”, Ismaïla Touré was amused and considered this name positive enough to make it her own.
In April 2008, Sixu and Ismaïla presented the album ” Santhiaba which precisely reflected this plural inclination that Touré Kunda defended with force. Each title of this album referred to the history of Senegal, an open land, nourished by a thousand musical scents. Ismaïla then insisted on the spirit of collegiality and sharing of the Touré Kunda group. Aware of the economic and social disturbances suffered by the peoples of the world, his wise words became more vehement. It was already alerting public opinion to the urgency of ecological awareness. His sometimes verbose banter was not without relevance. A radio conversation with this character, certain of his convictions, could be an oratorical joust from which judicious ideas ended up not germinating.
In 2018, 10 years after “ Santhiaba », Touré Kunda announced a new album. ” Lambi Golo was greeted with gratitude and respect by the band’s many admirers. The concerts that followed the release of this disc were sold out. On RFI, Sixu and Ismaïla took advantage of our microphones to call again for more tolerance and unity. During our last radio discussions, in October 2018 in Nancy (East of France), Ismaïla envisaged the future with philosophy. His long epic alongside his brothers had taught him wisdom and restraint. Her power of persuasion had remained intact, but she spoke with more temperance. We miss the sound of his voice, but his civic engagement has borne fruit and will stand the test of time…