Guinea Aid - Roots Heart Pulse

Les Etoiles de Boulbinet

Les Etoiles de Boulbinet at the Palais in Conakry, 2004. Photo by Lara

7.07 UPDATE: Great News! Les Etoiles managed to record their Fourth offering 10 Ans Chrono (10 Years of Our Success) during a State of Seige with Martial Law in effect(!) in Jan/Feb and threw a successful release part in May at the Palais de Peuple in Conakry. As of June '07 they are again at the top of the Guinea Hit Parade - GO ETOILES!

The Marafanyi ladies, Lara & Yael, had the grand pleasure of studying intensely with Etoiles' lead chanteur, Sory Bangoura, during their trip to Guinea in '06. They made singing with him a big part of their focus and had the pleasure of making Etoiles' base in Manquepas (near the port) their own home base. This meant, in part, early morning check-ins with Etoiles Manager Papa Yans! The repition time spent with Sory was usually at the beach in the late afternoon, singing and laughing the sun down with a neighborhood audience and our friends for support. Also during this trip, Brigell, another artist from Les Etoiles de Boulbinet, assisted us in crafting some of the beautiful instruments we brought back to the States including castanets and bebe djembes.

Sadly, Etoile's bolon player, Sango Bangoura (the artist who crafted Marafanyi's own beautiful gongomas) passed in August '05. Earlier that year Lara & Yael from Marafanyi collaborated with Sory to host a successful trip for students to Guinea.

Les Etoiles de Boulbinet perform in Guinea '05 Photo by Lara

TESTIMONIAL: When Lara first journeyed to Guinee in 01' a small version of this group charmed her at an acoustic "house concert". She purchased their first two cassettes then (guinee music continues to be 99% cassette based), wore them out and blah blahed to anyone who would listen about their talent.

In 03' Yael and Lara experienced them together at a much larger "house concert" bon fete for a Muslim holy day, Tabaski (the day of the goat). This time they were plugged in and debuted an innovative electric version of a traditional Guinean instrument, the gongoma, which is like a large mbira or kalimba but with only 3 metal keys and a big gourd resonater. Their electric version is handcrafted to look like a guitar!

At any given time the group boasts 5 singers, a ridiculous percussione section (djembe, krin, castagnettes, semi-traditional drum set), bolon and gongomas (traditional bass instruments) acoustic guitar, balafon, harmonica, traditional/contemporary (French and Sou-Sou) and songs that can't help but put a smile on your face and make you shake something!

In 04' year Lara fell completely under their spell in a big way. She lived in the village of Sandervalia, next door to Boulbinet, with friends of the band. The artists were at the house and around town all the time and they became fast friends. As luck would have it their 3rd recording Controlez was just about to hit the airwaves. She still can't believe what a phenomenal experience it was watching and listening to all this go down with a bird's eye view. Every artist was huddled around a boom box night and day learning all the lyrics, harmonies, arrangments, breaks and changes. Each house and taxi was playing this cassette non-stop! Her good luck continued, she was able to see them perform three times including at The Palais (see photo above), the biggest venue in Guinea, Conakry. They are now at the top of their game and ready to tour abroad, enshallah. They completed a month-long engagement in Paris, France in 2005.

"I am a big fan of Les Etoiles de Boulbinet. I think I have seen them perform every time I have been in Guinea. They are one of the constants: Hot weather, smelly streets, tough oranges and Les Etoiles."
- Dr. Sandrolini, Chicago

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