I’m pretty sure that Kouyaté Sory Kandia is actually a Malinké-speaking Mandingo, not Fulani, but I couldn’t resist the title to this post. Basically while listening to West African salsa yesterday I brushed past a couple tracks that struck me as being perfect for a Quentin Tarrantino soundtrack.

The first track is by Sory Kandia Kouyaté (Kouyaté is his family name, but you can write his name Kouyaté Sory Kandia), a well-known vocalist in his day from Guinea-Conakry. I got it off his album Grand Prix du Disc 1970 that was re-released a few years ago. The song makes makes me think of Uma Thurman walking in slow-motion into a country Western bar somewhere in the back alleys of Conakry while pulling on an extra-long cigarette. On top of that image, the song itself is fun and Kouyaté’s singing is over-the-top wonderful.

Second we got a slow jam classic by “we are world music” Orchestra Baobab. They may be wildly popular but they’re still amazing. If you ever get to see them live keep your eye on the sax player – his facial expressions and posturing on stage are priceless. He’s a classic Senegalese “grand homme”. Either way, their song Werente Serigne, available on the re-released Pirates Choice, could easily fit into some retro-heroin American movie à la Tarrantino.

Kouyaté Sory Kandia – NNa
Orchestre Baobab – Werente Serigne