Salif Keita at TD Ottawa Jazz Festival

Ottawa (Monday, March 21, 2011) – International afro singer-songwriter sensation, renowned for his unforgettable live performances, soaring vocals and emotionally-fueled songs, Mali’s Salif Keita will perform again in Ottawa on Tuesday, April 12, 2011, 8pm at Dominion-Chalmers United Church, 355 Cooper Street (corner Cooper and O’Connor), presented by the Ottawa Jazz Festival. In his last sold-out Festival appearance in 2008 the Ottawa Citizen wrote, “… the whole concert was a happy event. Salif’s voice – it’s been called ‘majestic’ – moves effortlessly from guttural to pure, high and plaintive.”...

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Ottawa (Monday, March 21, 2011) – International afro singer-songwriter sensation, renowned for his unforgettable live performances, soaring vocals and emotionally-fueled songs, Mali’s Salif Keita will perform again in Ottawa on Tuesday, April 12, 2011, 8pm at Dominion-Chalmers United Church, 355 Cooper Street (corner Cooper and O’Connor), presented by the Ottawa Jazz Festival. In his last sold-out Festival appearance in 2008 the Ottawa Citizen wrote, “… the whole concert was a happy event. Salif’s voice – it’s been called ‘majestic’ – moves effortlessly from guttural to pure, high and plaintive.”

Salif Keita has faced and conquered many challenges in his life. Born with albinism – a sign of extreme bad luck in Mandinka culture – into the royal family that descended from the founder of Mali, Keita was ostracized by his family. He left home as a teenager to create a new life for himself as a musician, a profession forbidden to the royal caste.

Exposed to and influenced by the first electrification of Mandingo music and the integration of Afro-Cuban influences, he performed with well-known Mali bands. He fled the political unrest in his homeland in the mid-1970s and performed in the Ivory Coast. In 1984 he moved to Paris to launch a successful solo career.

With help from Carlos Santana, Wayne Shorter and a number of carefully picked musicians from Mali and France, and after his first album Amen was produced Salif became the first African band leader to win a GRAMMY nomination. Although Salif Keita now tours internationally extensively, and is based in Paris much of the year, he now also resides in Mali. He tours with a mixed Malian/American 11 piece ensemble including singers, drums, percussion, bass, guitar and keyboards.

Reserved tickets are $45. General admission is $37 and Student prices (11 to 25 years, with valid student ID) are $22 (HST included). Tickets are on sale at the Ottawa Jazz Festival office: 294 Albert, Suite 602, 613-241-2633 or through our website at ottawajazzfestival.com; Compact Music (2 locations); CD Warehouse (all 3 locations) and Ottawa Festivals – 47 William St. in the Byward Market.

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