Saturday, April 29th, 2023
World Music Institute Presents

Fatoumata Diawara

Photay

Doors: 6:00 PM / Show: 8:00 PM 21+ Years
Fatoumata Diawara

Event Info

Venue Information:
Brooklyn Bowl
61 Wythe Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11249
Valid photo ID required at door for entry

Doors: 6:00 PM
Show: 8:00 PM

WMI is thrilled to welcome award-winning Malian singer, guitarist, actor, and social activist Fatoumata Diawara back to NYC following her 2018 appearance at our Festival of Mali, also co-presented with Brooklyn Bowl, as well as the 2014 Africa Now! Festival at the historic Apollo Theater. Like her fellow Malian songstress Oumou Sangaré, Fatoumata uses her music to address critical social issues including human trafficking and the empowerment of women. Her most recent album Fenfo (“Something to Say”) gives voice to these current themes while paying tribute to her African heritage with songs sung mostly in Bambará, mixing modern electric guitar lines with the ancient strings of the kora and kamel ngoni.


Based on the latest local guidelines, attendees are no longer required to provide proof of vaccination for entry into this event. Be sure to check your venue website for the latest updates and guidelines as entry requirements are subject to change. 

An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present. COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness and death. According to the local health authorities, senior citizens and guests with underlying medical conditions are especially vulnerable. By visiting our establishment, you voluntarily assume all risks related to the exposure to or spreading of COVID-19.

 

Artist Info

Fatoumata Diawara

Malian singer Fatoumata Diawara (aka Fatou) was born in 1982. As a child she became a member of her father's dance troupe and was a popular performer of the wildly flailing didadi dance from Wassoulou, her ancestral home in western Mali. She was an energetic and headstrong girl and at the age of twelve her refusal to go to school finally prompted her parents to send her to live and be disciplined by an aunt in Bamako. She was not to see her parents again for over a decade.

Her aunt was an actress, and a few years after arriving, Fatou found herself on a film set looking after her aunt's infant child. The film's director was captivated by Fatou's adolescent beauty and she was given a one line part in the final scene of the film 'Taafe Fangan' ('The Power of Women'). This led to her being given a lead role by the celebrated director Cheick Omar Sissoko in his 1999 film 'La Genèse' (Genesis).

At the age of eighteen Fatou travelled to Paris to perform the classical Greek role of Antigone on stage. After touring with the production she returned to Mali where she was given the lead in Dani Kouyaté's popular 2001 film 'Sia, The Dream of the Python.' The film tells the story of a West African legend called Sia, a young girl who defies tradition. To many in Mali, Guinea, Senegal and Burkina Faso, Fatou is Sia thanks to the film's enormous success throughout the region. Offers for further acting roles poured in but Fatou's family wanted her to settle down and marry and forced her to announce, live on Malian television, that she was abandoning her career as an actress.

In 2002 Jean­Louis Courcoult, the director of the renowned French theatre company, Royale de Luxe, travelled to Bamako to offer Fatou a part in his new production. An unmarried woman is considered a minor in Malian society so her family's permission was required. They refused. After much soul searching Fatou took the daring decision to run away and at Bamako airport she managed to board a plane for Paris, narrowly escaping the pursuit of the police who had been alerted to the girl's 'kidnapping.'

With Royal de Luxe Fatou performed a variety of roles around the world including tours in Vietnam, Mexico and throughout Europe. During rehearsals and quiet moments she took to singing backstage for her own amusement. She was overheard by the director and was soon singing solo during the company's performances. Encouraged by the reception from audiences she began to sing in Parisian clubs and cafes during breaks from touring. Here she met Cheikh Tidiane Seck the celebrated Malian musician and producer who invited her to travel with him back to Mali to work on two projects as chorus vocalist; 'Seya' the GRAMMY nominated album by Mali's star Oumou Sangaré and 'Red Earth' the GRAMMY winning Malian project by American jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater. When the albums were released Fatou toured worldwide as singer and dancer with both projects.

On her return to France Fatou took the role of Karaba in the popular touring musical 'Kirikou and Karaba.' She was encouraged to take the role by her friend Rokia Traore who also inspired her to take up the guitar: "To me it was a wonderful and daring thing: a Malian girl with an acoustic guitar. Why should the guitar be only for men?" Fatou bought herself a guitar and started to teach herself, and at the same time began to write down her own compositions.

She made the decision to dedicate herself to her passion, music. She worked to complete an album's worth of songs and started recording demos for which she composed and arranged all the titles, as well as playing guitar, percussion, bass and singing lead and harmony vocals. An introduction from Oumou Sangaré resulted in a record deal with World Circuit and the recording of her debut album.

Between recording sessions she found time to collaborate on Damon Albarn's Africa Express and contribute vocals to albums by Cheikh Lô, AfroCubism, Herbie Hancock's GRAMMY winning Imagine Project and Orchestra Poly­ Rythmo de Cotonou.

Fatou's EP 'Kanou' was released on 9 May, followed by her debut full length album 'Fatou' on 19 September 2011 to much critical acclaim. The album was awarded No.1 album 2011 in the world music charts, where it remained for 6 months. It was also given No.1 in several end­of­year album polls including The Times and Mojo.

Following the release Fatoumata performed as part of Damon Albarn's album and live project 'Rocket Juice and the Moon' (Honest Jon's) which featured himself, Tony Allen and Flea. Fatou also featured Roberto Fonseca's recent release 'YO' and on Bobby Womack's album 'The Bravest Man In The Universe' (XL) which was co­ produced by Damon Albarn and Richard Russell.

In September Fatou 2012 boarded the Africa Express Train with Damon Albarn, Baaba Maal, Amamdou and Mariam, Nicolas Jaar, and the Noisettes, amongst many others. The tour was a huge success selling out each venue it played in. The show culminated in a 4.5k venue in Kings Cross where Fatou performed with Paul McCartney(http://tiny.cc/txxtkw).YoucanreadtheGuardian'sround­upherehttp://tiny.cc/9zxtkw .

After touring all around the world for 3 years FATOU was actress in the multi­awarded movie TIMBUKTU. She gets nominated for the best movie song of 2014 for her interpretation of the title song TIMBUKTU. The movie was selected to 2015 OSCARS ceremony in USA.

In December 2014 FATOU was nominated " CHEVALIER DE L ORDRE des ARTS et LETTRES" by the French government, one of the highest French cultural distinction.

From JULY 2014 to end of 2015 she toured all over Europe with Cuban pianist Roberto FONSECA and released together a new record in APRIL 2015 : "AT HOME " on Jazz label : JAZZ VILLAGE.

Photay

Photay is the alias of 29-year-old Woodstock, NY-based composer, drummer, DJ, producer and musical polymath Evan Shornstein. As Photay, he has recorded a quartet of albums that organically bring together intricate chamber-pop arrangements, post-techno electronic textures, and a love of Black Atlantic polyrhythms. Photay’s music is built on positive intentions. Truly.

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