Les Espoirs de Coronthie

Les Espoirs de Coronthe all began when they were as young teenagers from Coronthie , one of the poorest neighborhoods in Conakry . Passionate about music , they decide to show that the traditional song could stay modern, and paid with his time rather than engaging in rap or reggae as good numbers of their peers . A bet is successful because 20 years later, the group became one of the emblematic figures of Guinean music and occurs on European stages . 
Their latest album " Fougou Fougou " features twelve tracks intepreted in Fulani , Malinke , Kissi , French and English. Extracted from this album, " Tired " is a title that speaks to all African . The group denounced the corruption and lies of politicians. On a traditional melody made ​​percussion and stringed instruments, Les Espoirs de Coronthie paint a distressing conclusion: " Throughout Africa it is the same story This is hopeless law money Everyone wants to eat him. . cake , without thinking , without even work . " A message unfortunately too topical. - SENEMUSIC.NET

2O years ago, adolescent from Coronthie, a working class area of Conakry, decided to join force with homemade instruments to clean up the urban jungle. Today, les Espoirs is a solid, well-known group, which has just signed a masterfull fifth album, the first on a french label. Fougou Fougou means the rustling of wings in Soussou. To the waterfall vibration of guitar strings and the kora, we can hear the bouncing notes of the balafon and pounding percussion. Th voices of three singer come one after the other, and sometimes interwine in piercing and furious, modern polyphonies expressing deep thoughts, which are both existential and social. Fougou Fougou, you make my heart sing ! - SENEGAL AIRLINES

FRANÇOIS- XAVIER GOMEZ SPECIAL ENVOY TO ANGERS October 6, 2013 at 18:06
CRITIQUEWorld . Now established in France , the Guinean group presents their fourth album on tour.
The appearance of Hopes Coronthie in March 2010 Babel Med Festival in Marseille , remained in the memories. Came from Guinea , the group proposed a funky set and leaping , led by a tireless balafon . A discovery in the landscape of African music. Guitarist Antoine Amigues only white member of the group , recalls: " The next day we signed twenty-five dates for summer 2011 . "
The next episode starts these days : the fourth album, Fougou Fougou is available and the tour started on September 28 in Angers . Meanwhile , the musicians had settled in France , between Lyon and Laval . "After ten months of touring , says the guitarist they were entitled to intermittent and could justify a gainful occupation . "

. " Fote " They now have residence cards under " arts and culture " professions, the price of a thousand papers - the lot of every applicant for a residence permit "Even the French are lost in the process. administrative , then you imagine Africans ! "launches Ali Sylla " Sanso , " one of the three singers.

The adventure was born there more than twenty years Coronthie deprived suburb of Conakry , the capital of the Republic of Guinea . "We were two groups in the neighborhood, the Spurs and the Ambassadors . When they have lost their singer, we merged says Boubacar Camara " Mangue " another vocalist .

Another decisive step after the release of the first album, Partisan : "The meeting with Koté [ white , ed] and his guitar ," says Antoine Mangué pointing . Which situates the scene: " I ​​came through my studies of ethnology. During a run , I came across them by chance. I have attended three months and have made the subject of my university research " Then the French came back . " With my Western ear, I could guide hopes to more comparable to foreign music. The training was traditional , focusing on percussion. The guitar has brought him this harmonic support was lacking. ' Second album , Dunuya Iguiri , was released in 2005. Revolutionizes Guinean music . Youth identifies sounding roots and protest themes , under the highly controversial President Lansana Conté. In their new album, the only song in French , Tired, back on the rot of corruption across the continent .

Bolon . The past it was easier to live ? One may think listening to Sékou Touré, dedicated to the father as the independence of Guinea, which he led from 1958 to his death in 1984. "We treated him as a dictator , says one of the singers. But for us , he just defended the dignity of the country , unlike those who followed him . We want to thank them. " And what about repression? - Ahmed Sekou Toure who also fiercely repressed any form of protest. "Yes, he was angry with opponents and murdered them because they had offended in his" rectangle " fatal. There are limits not to cross . But he also promoted culture , "says the singer without disassembly.

On the stage of Chabada of Angers, Hopes were less likely than in the past ( nine musicians against twelve ), but they preserved the sound that belongs only to them , their traditional instruments ( calabash, Bolon , gongoma ) and their trio of singers , excellent and complementary. It is almost like the Fougou Fougou , the cultural center they created in Conakry and where a team offers workshops for manufacturing instruments and concerts every weekend of the dry season .

FRANÇOIS-XAVIER GOMEZ ENVOYÉ SPÉCIAL À ANGERS 6 OCTOBRE 2013 À 18:06
CRITIQUEWorld . Désormais établi en France, le groupe guinéen présente son quatrième album en tournée.
L’apparition des Espoirs de Coronthie, en mars 2010 au festival Babel Med à Marseille, est restée dans les mémoires. Venu de Guinée, le groupe avait proposé un set funky et bondissant, emmené par un balafon infatigable. Une découverte dans le paysage de la musique africaine. Le guitariste, Antoine Amigues, seul membre blanc du groupe, se souvient : «Le lendemain, on signait vingt-cinq dates pour l’été 2011.»
L’épisode suivant démarre ces jours-ci : le quatrième album du groupe, Fougou Fougou, est disponible et la tournée a démarré à Angers le 28 septembre. Entretemps, les musiciens s’étaient installés en France, entre Laval et Lyon. «Après dix mois de tournée, poursuit le guitariste, ils avaient droit à l’intermittence et pouvaient justifier d’une activité rémunérée.»

"FOté». Ils ont aujourd’hui des cartes de séjour au titre des «professions artistiques et culturelles», au prix de mille paperasses - le lot de tout demandeur d’un titre de séjour. «Même les Français se perdent dans les démarches administratives, alors vous imaginez des Africains !» lance Ali Sylla «Sanso», un des trois chanteurs.

L’aventure est née il y a plus de vingt ans à Coronthie, faubourg déshérité de Conakry, capitale de la république de Guinée. «Nous étions deux groupes dans le quartier, les Eperons et les Ambassadeurs. Quand ces derniers ont perdu leur chanteur, nous avons fusionné, explique Boubacar Camara «Mangué», autre vocaliste.

Autre étape décisive, après la parution du premier album, Partisan : «La rencontre avec koté [le blanc, ndlr] et sa guitare», dit Mangué en désignant Antoine. Qui resitue la scène : «J’étais venu dans le cadre de mes études d’ethnologie. Lors d’un footing, je suis tombé sur eux par hasard. Je les ai fréquentés trois mois et en ai fait le sujet de ma recherche universitaire.» Puis le Français est revenu : «Avec mon oreille d’Occidental, je pouvais orienter les Espoirs vers une musique plus assimilable à l’étranger. La formation était traditionnelle, axée sur la percussion. La guitare lui a apporté ce soutien harmonique qui faisait défaut.» Le deuxième album, Dunuya Iguiri, sort en 2005. Il révolutionne la musique guinéenne. La jeunesse s’identifie aux sonorités roots et aux thèmes revendicatifs, sous le régime du très contesté président Lansana Conté. Dans leur nouveau disque, la seule chanson en français, Fatigué, revient sur la gangrène de la corruption partout sur le continent.

Bolon. Le passé était-il plus facile à vivre ? On peut le penser à l’écoute de Sékou Touré, titre dédié au père de l’indépendance de la Guinée, qu’il a dirigée de 1958 à sa mort, en 1984. «On l’a traité de dictateur, affirme un des chanteurs. Mais pour nous, il a juste défendu la dignité du pays, contrairement à ceux qui lui ont succédé. Nous voulons l’en remercier.» Et quid de la répression ? - Ahmed Sékou Touré ayant aussi réprimé férocement toute forme de contestation. «Oui, il était fâché avec les opposants et les a assassinés car ils l’avaient offensé dans son "rectangle" fatal. Il y a des limites à ne pas franchir. Mais il a aussi favorisé la culture», poursuit le chanteur sans se démonter.

Sur la scène du Chabada d’Angers, les Espoirs étaient moins nombreux que par le passé (neuf musiciens contre douze), mais ils ont préservé ce son qui n’appartient qu’à eux, leurs instruments ancestraux (calebasse, bolon, gongoma) et leur trio de chanteurs, excellents et complémentaires. On se croirait presque au Fougou Fougou, le centre culturel qu’ils ont créé à Conakry et où une équipe propose des ateliers de fabrication d’instruments et des concerts chaque week-end de la saison sèche. - LIBERATION - 6 octobre 2013

REAL STARS OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC MANDINGUE AT HOME IN GUINEA ,LES ESPOIRS DE CORONTHIE If EXPORT ALSO WITH SUCCESS . NOT A CHANCE SO IF SOME OF FOUR MEMBERS OF INVESTED HEXAGON TO LIVE AND SAVE THEIR RECENTLY 4th ALBUM " Fougou Fougou ." MEETING WITH MENGUE , SINGER AND GROUP LEADER NAMED BY PEERS : A FOOT IN CONAKRY AND THE OTHER Mayenne . By Yoan The Blévec
Photo: Nicolas Maslowski
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE GROUP SINCE 2008 AND EXIT FROM PREVIOUS ALBUM " TINKHINYI "?
We've traveled a lot with two successive years of touring around the world. The album " Tinkhinyi ", recorded in Bamako , a great market, it has won several major music awards with us, such as Djembes gold . It is also the first time one of our albums was released in France . It is at the same time that some of us settled in Mayenne. Since others have gone to Lyon, but we are still three to live part of the year in Laval : dancer, percussionist and me. It was interesting encounters with artists, we have a lot of musician friends on Laval. This is the first European city where I sit .
HOW HAS BEEN DESIGNED THIS NEW ALBUM " Fougou Fougou "?
It was recorded in the studio Supadope Lyon , the studio Peuple de l'Herbe . This is the first time we worked with an arranger , hitherto we have always arranged ourselves our albums. Precedents, and as often in
traditional music, we worked our music so spontaneous and direct , almost one take, everything goes very fast . Here we were given good advice and arrangements for the pieces are more airy, more refined. We also worked with a sound engineer who knows Mandingo music , he brought his vision . Was integrated for the first time , traditional western instruments like banjo, electric guitar, bass ... Our sound has really evolved , we are very proud of this album.
WHAT IS THE TITLE REFERENCE OF THIS ALBUM ?
Cultural center that was established in Conakry, Guinea , called Fougou Fougou Faga Faga , which means language Susu " the departure of the birds," the sound of the wings when they fly . We created this space for musicians Hopes , those who do not turn us out of Guinea , to work there, organizing concerts , playing with other musicians. It is also to support new generations of musicians, giving value to the Guinean artists , so they can express also available. They are offered a variety of homes, work week or more to prepare for a show.
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ARTISTS
YOU GO ELSEWHERE FOR A WEEK OF RESIDENCE TO ROOM ONDINES CHANGED TO : WHAT DID YOU WORK ?
We worked a lot on the scenic plane , choreography , how to move, move. We were missing something square scenic view point . With Hopes , has already participated in ballet dance music , we followed the great masters of Guinean dance. We wanted to strengthen all aspects of dance on stage. This is what I like to see in the great artists such as Salif Keita and Alpha Blondy : how they move and occupy the scene.
WHAT ARE THE TOPICS COVERED IN THIS NEW ALBUM ?
We speak of justice , love , truth ... Why the truth? Because in lots of situations , if you do not say the truth , nothing can change . A country without truth and justice it can not move. There are also fully texts in French , and this is new . It was for example the " Tired " song, which speaks of a simple fact: today everywhere you go , everyone is tired of politics, corrupt politicians .
WHAT IS PRECISELY THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN GUINEA ?
The country and the capital Conakry have changed much in fifteen years. In 2010, it was the first time a democratically elected president , Alpha Conde. The country is quieter , there is a lot of work in the cities , it moves . Musically too, with many artists who have followed in our footsteps . Just as we were able, with the hopes , be inspired at first by Stars of Boulbinet a large group of Manding music.
YOU BACK OFTEN IN GUINEA ?
About once a year for a few months . To see the family, but also for work, play with Hopes . When we come back, we organized every weekend concert , turn across the country . There , people know our songs and we greet each other in the street, especially since the success of the second album, " Dunuyia Iguiri ." It has sold 70,000 copies , it was five times the circumference of Guinea. Because it has affected four regions , cities such as small villages. If you sing in Guinea and love that you tell the truth , it affects many people . If we see that our public is suffering from something, we will sing this suffering. Also sings against politicians. The government wanted a moment to touch our Fougou center Fougou Faga Faga . But this space belongs to all Guineans , and the public Conakry mobilized to defend it.
OCCUPIED HOW YOU IN YOUR TIME WHEN Mayenne you do not play ?
Hopes outside , I make traditional Guinean instruments: gémbré the Bolon , the gongoma the Cascagnette ... I sell on the internet or after a concert if you ask me . These are instruments which, joined together , form the rhythm and the heart of the Manding music. This is music that is not specific only to Guinea , but touches throughout West Africa : Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast ...
HOW DO YOU ON THE FRENCH PUBLIC ?
This is a very attentive audience to the music he listens to a lot before release . The French are often very quiet in the early concerts, while we , we send a lot from the start! But we begin to understand the French public, its energy rises gradually. We know that over our concert

VÉRITABLES STARS DE LA MUSIQUE TRADITIONNELLE MANDINGUE CHEZ EUX, EN GUINÉE, LES ESPOIRS DE CORONTHIE S’EXPORTENT AUSSI AVEC SUCCÈS. PAS UN HASARD DONC, SI CERTAINS DES QUATORZE MEMBRES DU GROUPE ONT INVESTI L’HEXAGONE POUR Y VIVRE ET ENREGISTRER RÉCEMMENT LEUR 4e ALBUM : « FOUGOU FOUGOU ». RENCONTRE AVEC MENGUÉ, CHANTEUR ET CHEF DU GROUPE DÉSIGNÉ PAR SES PAIRS : UN PIED À CONAKRY ET L’AUTRE EN MAYENNE. Par Yoan Le Blévec
Photo : Nicolas Maslowski
QUE S’EST-IL PASSÉ POUR LE GROUPE DEPUIS 2008 ET LA SORTIE DU PRÉCÉDENT ALBUM : « TINKHINYI » ?
On a pas mal voyagé, avec deux ans de tournées successives un peu partout dans le monde. L’album «Tinkhinyi», enregistré à Bamako, a super bien marché, on a remporté plusieurs trophées musicaux importants chez nous, comme les Djembés d’or. C’est aussi la première fois qu’un de nos albums était distribué en France. C’est au même moment que certains d’entre nous se sont installés en Mayenne. Depuis d’autres sont partis à Lyon, mais nous sommes encore trois à vivre une partie de l’année à Laval: le danseur, le percussionniste et moi. On y a fait des rencontres intéressantes avec des artistes, on a beaucoup d’amis musiciens sur Laval. C’est la première ville européenne où je m’installe.
COMMENT A ÉTÉ CONÇU CE NOUVEL ALBUM, « FOUGOU FOUGOU » ?
On l’a enregistré à Lyon au studio Supadope, le studio du Peuple de l’Herbe. C’est la première fois qu’on travaillait avec un arrangeur, jusque-là nous avions toujours arrangé nous-même nos albums. Sur les précédents, et comme souvent dans les
musiques traditionnelles, on travaillait notre musique de manière spontanée et directe, presque d’une seule prise, tout va très vite. Là on nous a donné les bons arrangements et des conseils pour que les morceaux soient plus aérés, plus peaufinés. On a aussi travaillé avec un ingénieur du son, qui connaît bien la musique mandingue, il nous a apporté sa vision. On a intégré, pour la première fois, des instruments traditionnels occidentaux, comme le banjo, la guitare électrique, la basse... Notre son a vraiment évolué, on est très fiers de cet album.
À QUOI FAIT RÉFÉRENCE LE TITRE DE CET ALBUM ?
Au centre culturel que l’on a créé à Conakry en Guinée, baptisé Fougou Fougou Faga Faga, et qui signifie en langue Soussou «le départ des oiseaux», le bruit des ailes quand ils s’envolent. On a créé cet espace pour que les musiciens des Espoirs, ceux qui ne tournent pas avec nous en dehors de Guinée, puissent travailler là-bas, organiser des concerts, jouer avec d’autres musiciens. C’est aussi pour accompagner les nouvelles générations de musiciens, donner de la valeur aux artistes guinéens, pour qu’ils puissent s’exprimer aussi en live. On leur propose des sortes de résidences, une semaine de travail, ou plus, pour préparer un spectacle.
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ARTISTES
VOUS SORTEZ D’AILLEURS D’UNE SEMAINE DE RÉSIDENCE À LA SALLE DES ONDINES À CHANGÉ : SUR QUOI AVEZ-VOUS TRAVAILLÉ ?
On a beaucoup travaillé sur le plan scénique, les chorégraphies, la façon de bouger, de se déplacer. Il nous manquait quelque chose de carré d’un point de vue scénique. Avec les Espoirs, on a déjà participé à des ballets de musiques de danse, on a suivi les grands maîtres guinéens de la danse. On a voulu renforcer tous ces aspects chorégraphiques sur scène. C’est aussi ce que j’aime observer chez des grands artistes comme Salif Keita ou Alpha Blondy : comment ils se déplacent et occupent la scène.
QUELS SONT LES THÈMES ABORDÉS DANS CE NOUVEL ALBUM ?
On parle de la justice, de l’amour, de la vérité... Pourquoi la vérité? Parce que dans plein de situations, si on ne se dit pas la vérité, rien ne peut changer. Un pays sans vérité et sans justice ça ne peut pas bouger. Il y a aussi des textes entièrement en français, et ça c’est nouveau. On a par exemple le morceau «Fatigué», qui parle d’un constat simple: aujourd’hui partout où tu vas, tout le monde est fatigué par la politique, les politiciens corrompus.
QUELLE EST JUSTEMENT LA SITUATION POLITIQUE EN GUINÉE ?
Le pays et la capitale Conakry ont beaucoup changé en quinze ans. En 2010, on a eu pour la première fois un président élu démocratiquement, Alpha Condé. Le pays est donc plus tranquille, il y a beaucoup de travaux dans les villes, ça bouge. Musicalement aussi, avec beaucoup d’artistes qui ont suivi nos traces. Tout comme on avait pu, avec les Espoirs, être inspirés au début par Les Étoiles de Boulbinet, un groupe important de la musique mandingue.
VOUS RETOURNEZ SOUVENT EN GUINÉE ?
Environ une fois par an, pendant quelques mois. Pour voir la famille, mais aussi pour travailler, jouer avec les Espoirs. Quand on revient, on organise chaque week-end un concert, on tourne dans tout le pays. Là-bas, les gens connaissent nos chansons et nous saluent dans la rue, surtout depuis le succès du 2e album, « Dunuyia Iguiri ». On en a vendu 70 000 exemplaires, on a fait cinq fois le tour de la Guinée. Car on a touché les quatre régions du pays, les grandes villes comme les petits villages. Si en Guinée tu chantes l’amour et que tu dis la vérité, ça touche beaucoup les gens. Si on voit que notre public souffre de quelque chose, on va chanter cette souffrance. On chante aussi contre les politiciens. Le gouvernement a voulu à un moment toucher à notre centre Fougou Fougou Faga Faga. Mais cet espace appartient à tous les Guinéens, et le public de Conakry s’est mobilisé pour le défendre.
COMMENT OCCUPES-TU TON TEMPS EN MAYENNE LORSQUE TU NE JOUES PAS ?
En dehors des Espoirs, je fabrique des instruments traditionnels guinéens: le gémbré, le bolon, le gongoma, la cascagnette... Je les vends sur internet ou après un concert si on me le demande. Ce sont ces instruments, qui, associés ensemble, forment la rythmique et le cœur de la musique mandingue. C’est une musique qui n’est pas propre seulement à la Guinée, mais qui touche toute l’Afrique de l’Ouest : le Mali, le Sénégal, la Côte-d’Ivoire...
QUEL REGARD PORTEZ-VOUS SUR LE PUBLIC FRANÇAIS ?
C’est un public très attentif à la musique, il écoute beaucoup, avant de se lâcher. Les Français sont souvent très calmes au début des concerts, alors que nous, on envoie beaucoup dès le départ! Mais on commence à comprendre le public français, son énergie qui monte progressivement. On sait qu’au fil du concert notre musique l’attrape! - Tohu Bohu - automne 2013

Guinean kids who tinkered in their corner hopes are confirmed here. This four disc whose fourth breaststroke wide repertoire: the
m "w polyphonic tradition, they retained the right background, they spice
spikes drunk and tasty guttural accents. The Electric Guitar cudgel dialogue with ancient balafon. .. As for the texts, they combine incentives to party, love and taking posi tion policy rooted in a troubled news Conakry statements. They have also called this album the name of the space they occupied before having "clear out." Fougou Fougou in Susu "the rustling wing," as the symbol of a new beginning

Les gamins guinéens qui bricolaient dans leur coin sont des espoirs confirmés par chez nous. Ce qua trième disque dont le répertoire brasse large : de la
m "w tradition polyphonique, ils ont conservé le bon fond, qu'ils pimentent
de pointes soûl et de savoureux accents gutturaux. La guitare élec trique dialogue avec l'antique balafon. .. Quant aux textes, ils mêlent incitations à faire la fête, déclarations d'amour et prises de posi tion politique ancrées dans une actualité troublée à Conakry. Ils ont d'ailleurs baptisé cet album du nom de l'espace qu'ils occupaient avant de devoir « déguerpir ». Fougou Fougou, en soussou « le bruissement d'aile », tel le symbole d'un nouveau départ. - JAZZ NEWS - 01/10/2013

In a hotel near Ia Canebière after their triumphant concert donations as part of Africa Day , Mengue , one of the original singers of the popular district of Conakry group , remembers the beginning of the adventure : " Les Espoirs were born in 1992 from the merger of "Ambassadors" and "The Spurs", two formations Coronthie , a district situated to the west of the port of the Guinean capital , I was one of the spurs. Spurs and Ambassadors , we all knew . Children, we met in the street or play football or making music with makeshift instruments by ourselves. " Without real name to its creation , the group await the outcome of his first real concert in 1998 in the first part of the Senegalese Baaba Maal in a thicket of Conakry to resume his account was the comment of the journalist now deceased, Ali Bader Diakhité , who spoke of these young musicians as hopes Coronthie ... This name us as it welded . It is a sacred responsibility , Hopelessness, there is no life ! " Loose Mengue ,
The same year, the group meets Amigues Antoine , a Frenchman studying ethnology and guitarist just arrived in Conakry , " Every weekend , we went for " little ninja " ( bar hopping ) together. This is where he discovered African music and decided to write his thesis on our group which were building its future on self-directed and equal basis . Friendship is coming. He gave us our first real guitar and a method with CD before returning to France . We were prepared for him a calabash specially decorated . " Antoine eventually joined the band as guitarist and created in Lyon, his city, "Wountanara Association" ( we are together " in Susu language ), which manages European handle for the group. They in turn open the country 's cultural center Fougou Fougou Faga Faga . Powered by a dozen permanent , it offers concerts and musical groups .

Recorded Supadope , Lyon studio People's I'Herbe their fourth album Fougou Fougou (" Ie sound of the wings of birds" in Susu ) , extends the fusion music of different ethnic groups and their Guinean instruments ( gongoma , balafon . . , ) proposed merger Ie group since its inception. "We made ​​music that speaks to all Guineans " adds Mengue note in passing that the introduction of this new olbum " an electric guitar, a l2 strings, banjo el brass " Sung in Fulani , Malinke , Kissi and also some into French and English, this dozen titles for the singer is a series of Polaroids that reflect our soul.


Dans un hôtel proche de Ia Canebière au lendemain de leur triomphal concert dons le cadre d'Africa Fête, Mengue, l'un des chanteurs de ce groupe originaire du quartier populaire de Conakry, se souvient des débuts de l'aventure : « Les Espoirs sont nés en 1992 de la fusion des Ambassadeurs et des Epérons, deux formations de Coronthie, un quartier situé à l'ouest du port de la capitale guinéenne, J'étais un des Epérons. Eperons et Ambassadeurs, on se connaissait tous. Enfants, nous nous retrouvions dans la rue pour jouer ou foot ou faire de la musique avec des instruments bricolés par nous mêmes. » Sans véritable nom à sa création, le groupe attendra l'issue de son premier vrai concert en 1998 en première partie du Sénégalais Baaba Maal dans un maquis de Conokry pour reprendre a son compte le commentaire du journaliste aujourd'hui décédé, Ali Bader Diakhité, qui parla de ces jeunes musiciens comme des espoirs de Coronthie... Ce nom nous a pour ainsi dire soudés. C'est une sacrée responsabilité, Sans espoir, il n'y a pas de vie !», lâche Mengue,
La même année, le groupe rencontre Antoine Amigues, un Fronçois étudiant en ethnologie et guitariste tout juste arrivé a Conakry, « Chaque week-end, on faisait le "petit ninja" (la tournée des bars) ensemble. C'est là qu'il a découvert la musique africaine et décidé de rédiger son mémoire sur notre groupe qui construisait son avenir sur des bases autogérées et égalitaires. L'amitié est venue. ll nous a offert notre première vraie guitare ainsi qu'une méthode avec CD avant de repartir en Fronce. Nous on lui a préparé une calebasse toute spécialement décorée. » Antoine finit par rejoindre le groupe comme guitariste et crée à Lyon, sa ville, l'association Wountanara (on est ensemble » en langue soussou) qui gère les destinées européennes du groupe. Eux de leur côté ouvrent au pays le centre culturel Fougou Fougou Faga Faga. Animé par une dizaine de permanents, il propose concerts et formations musicales.

Enregistré à Supodope, le studio lyonnais du Peuple de I'Herbe, leur quatrième album Fougou Fougou (« Ie bruit des ailes des oiseaux » en soussou), prolonge la fusion des musiques des différentes ethnies guinéennes et de leurs instruments (gongoma, balafon..,), fusion que propose Ie groupe depuis ses débuts. « On fait de la musique qui parle à tous les Guinéens » ajoute Mengue qui souligne au passage l'introduction sur ce nouvel olbum « d'une guitare électrique, d'une l2 cordes, d'un banjo el de cuivres », Chontée en peul, malinké, kissi et aussi un peu en français et anglais, cette douzaine de titres est pour le chanteur une série de polaroids qui reflètent notre âme . - MONDOMIX - Octobre 2013

by Squaaly
Winning in the mid 90s in the jungle of Conakry ( Guinea ) , the Hopes Coronthie rapidly became a popular groups in the sub -region. Today, more present in Europe and Africa , they publish Fougou Fougou ( The Sound of Wings ), a fourth album resolutely opened the first signed by the Parisian label Chapter Two.
In Conakry , name brings crowds last twenty years. Born in 1992 from the merger of Ambassadors and Spurs , two teams from this district they proudly bear the name , the vocal trio backed by a percussion section consisting of goldsmiths formidable rhythm shot a few years before he took the Hopes Coronthie name . "This is a Guinean journalist who told us in 1998 and " remembers Mengue , one of the three singers in the group. " The burden was heavy, but it was accepted. She welded us. "
A big slap
It was at this time they meet in Conakry , Antoine Amigues . This young Parisian student time in the history and ethnology " to extend the deadline for military service ," he adds , as if to justify picked in Conakry and the subject matter of his mastery . "On the spot , I was already in contact with the Ballets Africans , a national ballet therefore composed of musicians and dancers officials. When I met Hopes almost by chance , they opened my ears to a more urban sound. it was a big slap ! at Conakry , it plays in the street all weekend and the weekend there, start from Thursday evening. Moreover, I was impressed by the cohesion and social organization of the group. at their level , they had already set up a self- support system in case of illness , an internal social security group "recalls musician hitherto passionate French songs. " Very quickly, a friendly relationship has developed, strengthened by our common love for music ," he adds . " They, who are not griots son , became the subject of my master ," he would prepare a master back in France , but will never support lack of time.
Ternary rhythms and harmony
Antoine Amigues returned to Conakry in 2003. "I wanted to. At the time, I was composing for a circus company , Virevolte , and hoped to initiate a meeting between these two worlds . When I arrived , the Hopes prepared their second album. They were almost surprised to see me. Our collaboration was quite instinctive . toubab Like any good , I do not understand much about the rhythms ternary . But against , I could put my knowledge of harmony in the service group that played at the time, as percussion. This line of work will lead later to incorporate more melodic instruments like the balafon and guitar , "commented Antoine Amigues before adding : " They are the ones who made ​​me realize that I, the Foté (white in Bambara ) , j ' had my place in the group. "
We are together
Dunuya their second album be released in 2005, followed three years later by Thinkinyi full political crisis. Meanwhile, the group opened Fougou Fougou Faga Faga , a cultural center where they uphold the values ​​of sharing and solidarity that are dear to them , while in Lyon, her new home port, Antoine Amigues creates it, the Wountanara Association ( " We are together " in Susu language ), which manages the European for the group. Speaker ras-le -bol of Guinean youth , the hopes of gaining notoriety Coronthie . Distributed in France , their third opus drives to the Hexagon or they all live since 2010 ten months out of twelve, part of the group in Lyon , the other in Laval .
Open without crushing
Called also Fougou Fougou ( " The Sound of Wings " ) , their fourth album with twelve songs sung in Peul , Malinke , Kissi and a little French and English , was recorded in studios Peuple de l'Herbe in Lyon in two stages . Dec. 2011 and June 2012 Hopes took his trunk .
We hear also percussion and balafon, a 12-string guitar and electric , banjo , bass and even brass on two tracks . "Our desire was to open out , without overwriting what makes the beauty of Guinean music, Mandingo music ," says guitarist who even tries singing here . Mission accomplished as evidenced by these twelve tracks , they defend with great confidence on stage as witnessed at the beginning of their summer concert Marseille as part of Africa Fête .
Hopes Coronthie Fougou Fougou ( Chapter Two / Wagram ) 2013 Concert on October 9 at the New Morning and touring France Facebook Page Hopes Coronthie Official Site Hopes Coronthie


Par Squaaly
S’imposant au milieu des années 90 dans les maquis de Conakry (Guinée), les Espoirs de Coronthie sont très vite devenus un des groupes en vogue dans la sous-région. Aujourd’hui, plus présents en Europe qu’en Afrique, ils publient Fougou Fougou (Le Bruit des Ailes), un quatrième album résolument ouvert, le premier signé par le label parisien Chapter Two.
À Conakry, leur nom rassemble les foules depuis une vingtaine d’années. Né en 1992 de la fusion des Ambassadeurs et des Éperons, deux formations originaires de ce quartier dont ils portent fièrement le nom, ce trio vocal épaulé par une section percussive composée de redoutables orfèvres du rythme a tourné quelques années avant qu’il ne prenne le nom d’Espoirs de Coronthie. "C’est un journaliste guinéen qui a parlé de nous ainsi en 1998" se souvient Mengue, l’un des trois chanteurs du groupe. "La charge était lourde, mais on l’a acceptée. Elle nous a soudés."
Une grande claque
C’est à cette époque qu’ils rencontrent à Conakry, Antoine Amigues. Ce jeune Parisien à l’époque étudiant en histoire, puis en ethnologie "afin de repousser l’échéance du service militaire" ajoute-t-il comme pour se justifier, est venu chercher à Conakry, le sujet et la matière de sa maîtrise. "Sur place, j’étais déjà en contact avec les Ballets Africains, un ballet national composé donc de musiciens et danseurs fonctionnaires. Quand j’ai rencontré presque par hasard les Espoirs, ils m’ont ouvert les oreilles sur un son plus urbain. Ça a été une grande claque ! À Conakry, ça joue dans la rue tous les week-ends et le week-end, là-bas, démarre dès le jeudi soir. De plus, j’ai été séduit par la cohésion et l’organisation sociale du groupe. À leur niveau, ils avaient déjà mis en place un système autofinancé d’entraide en cas de maladie, une sécurité sociale interne au groupe" se souvient ce musicien jusqu’alors passionné de chansons françaises. "Très vite, une relation amicale s’est installée, renforcée par notre goût commun pour la musique" ajoute-t-il. "Eux, qui ne sont pas fils de griots, sont devenus mon sujet de maîtrise", une maîtrise qu’il rédigera de retour en France, mais ne soutiendra jamais faute de temps.
Rythmes ternaires et harmonie
Antoine Amigues est revenu à Conakry en 2003. "J’en avais envie. À l’époque, je composais pour une compagnie de cirque, Virevolte, et espérais bien provoquer une rencontre entre ces deux mondes. Quand je suis arrivé, les Espoirs préparaient leur deuxième album. Ils étaient presque surpris de me revoir. Notre collaboration a été assez instinctive. Comme tout bon toubab, je ne comprenais pas grand-chose aux rythmes ternaires. Mais par contre, j’ai pu mettre mes connaissances de l’harmonie au service du groupe qui ne jouait à l’époque, que des percussions. Cet axe de travail les amènera plus tard à intégrer des instruments plus mélodiques comme le balafon ou la guitare" commente Antoine Amigues avant de préciser : "Ce sont eux qui m’ont fait comprendre que moi, le foté (blanc en bambara), j’avais ma place dans le groupe."
On est ensemble
Dunuya, leur deuxième opus paraitra en 2005, suivi 3 ans plus tard par Thinkinyi en pleine crise politique. Entre temps, le groupe a ouvert Fougou Fougou Faga Faga, un centre culturel où ils défendent les valeurs de partage et de solidarité qui leur sont chères, tandis qu’à Lyon, son nouveau port d’attache, Antoine Amigues crée lui, l’association Wountanara ("On est ensemble" en langue soussou) qui gère les destinées européennes du groupe. Haut-parleur du ras-le-bol de la jeunesse guinéenne, les Espoirs de Coronthie gagnent en notoriété. Distribué en France, leur troisième opus les pousse vers l’Hexagone ou ils vivent tous depuis 2010 dix mois sur douze, une partie du groupe à Lyon, l’autre à Laval.
Ouvrir sans écraser
Baptisé lui aussi Fougou Fougou ("Le Bruit des Ailes"), leur quatrième album aux douze titres chantés en peul, malinké, kissi et aussi un peu en français et anglais, a été enregistré dans les studios du Peuple de l’Herbe à Lyon, en deux temps : décembre 2011 et juin 2012. Le son des Espoirs a pris du coffre.
On y entend outre les percussions et le balafon, une guitare 12 cordes et une électrique, un banjo, une basse et même des cuivres sur deux titres. "Notre envie de départ était d’ouvrir, sans écraser ce qui fait la beauté des musiques guinéennes, des musiques mandingues" explique le guitariste qui s’essaie même ici au chant. Mission accomplie comme en témoignent ces douze titres, qu’ils défendent avec une belle assurance sur scène comme en témoignait au début de l’été leur concert marseillais dans le cadre d’Africa Fête.
Les Espoirs de Coronthie Fougou Fougou (Chapter Two/Wagram) 2013 En concert le 9 octobre au New Morning et en tournée en France Page Facebook des Espoirs de Coronthie Site officiel des Espoirs de Coronthie
A lire aussi : Musiques métisses aux couleurs de la Guinée (01/06/2009) - RFI musique

The Espoirs de Coronthie, based in Conakry’s oldest, and most deprived neighbourhood, took it to a whole new dimension, rivalling even hip-hop in its youth appeal. And even rap in Conakry is toying increasingly with the roots of Guinean music...

Froots 2/6/08 - FROOTS MAGAZINE

Soumah Fanjawa, the head of
Conakry’s port Boulbinet, looks
exactly the way you’d imagine a
gruff, weather-beaten seafarer
who’s braved the waves of all
the world’s oceans. Chewing on a stick,
he glowers out from under his flat cap.
Cunning and suspicion have been etched
into his face like tribal marks, warning
any stranger who braves the nauseating
chaos of Boulbinet fish market that this is
his territory. Yet as our pack of journalists
and musicians arrives, his features suddenly
soften, and his mouth opens into a
wide smile – toothless, bar an impressive
investment in solid gold.
He has recognised Ibrahima Sory Bangoura,
singer of the band Les Etoiles De
Boulbinet and leader of our little reconnaissance
mission, and has received a few
crumpled Guinea francs as an appeasement
fee. He points at the artist: “He! He
is not a gangster. He’s a good man! I held
him when he was still a baby, and he’ll be
buried here in Boulbinet!” Grand gestures
accompany his barked compliments and
an impatient swing of the arm almost
sends Ibrahima toppling to the ground:
“Play! Come on, play for me!”
Ibrahima picks up his homemade
gongoma – a decorated calabash that he’s
crafted into a guitar-like shape, and starts
plucking the first notes on its saw-blade
keys. Within seconds we are surrounded
by market women, who clutch their skirts
and head wraps as they float over shimmering
fish scales and old plastic bags,
dodging piles of dog shit and fly-ridden
stacks of freshly caught snapper in their
path. The tired pirogues on the rubbishstrewn
quay seem to sway with the beat,
and the hum of haggling market folk
marks the bass. For a few moments, Les
Etoiles De Boulbinet have transformed
Conakry’s grubbiest corner into a ballroom,
and turned weary fish-sellers into
queens. It’s a fisher’s fairytale.
The inner-city neighbourhood of Boulbinet
stretches from the port across a
square of once-glorious alleys and derelict
houses. Any kid in the street can proudly
indicate the Etoiles’ haunt. They are the
unrivalled heroes of this part of town, for
they have enshrined the name of this battered
neighbourhood in song and lifted it
to national fame. And more than that. This
group of school and job dropouts is solely
responsible for what may well be the
biggest artistic revolution in Guinea since
the Golden Age of the national orchestras.
Only a few years back, Guinean pop meant
churned-out productions of indistinguishable
tunes and a nauseating wash of synthesised
strings and pre-recorded drums.
And then the Etoiles came along and
claimed space on dance floors and airwaves
with their happy clatter of calabash
percussion, coarse vocals and the irresistible
clang of the gongoma’s bass lines.
It was a concept so simple that no one had
ever thought it could be a success – and
yet it worked like a drug. Youngsters that
used to sneer at anything remotely associated
with acoustic or traditional styles suddenly
couldn’t get enough of the stuff,
and staged nightclub-strikes unless the DJ
would put on the Etoiles’ records. By the mid-noughties, the band
had become an obligatory act
for any self-respecting festival
or live venue. Its dozen band
members shared star-rankings
with Guinea’s biggest vedette Sekouba
Bambino and they rivalled the local hiphop
scene in popularity. And it didn’t
take long before the format of success
was copied by other aspiring artists. All
across Conakry, groups of youngsters
turned from lazing about over endless
cups of green tea to more productive
ventures – such as hammering rudimentary
percussion instruments together and
turning saw blades into tuned gongoma
keys, writing lyrics and practising passionate
choral singing. Each quarter suddenly
had its own orchestra, and each
band instinctively chose to represent
their ‘hood. Like football teams, these
groups named themselves after their
area and were passionately defended by Today, there are many bands like ours,” says
Ibrahima, “for instance the Espoirs De Coronthie,
the Ambassadeurs De Coronthie, the
Messagers De Boulbinet, the Gestar De Kolya
and many more. Before our success, you’d only
see a few individuals playing the gongoma in the streets. Now
everyone forms bands. We have given them the example. It
makes us proud that they are copying us.” Fans can argue for
hours over the relative merits of each band. “The Etoiles De
Boulbinet are the best, what a question! They have started this,
and therefore play much better than the others,” says one eager
supporter, before she’s drowned out by shouts of “Espoirs Number
1!” and a passionate debate of Etoiles versus Espoirs – Boulbinet
versus Coronthie – ensues.
Among the host of groups that have copied the Etoiles’ magic
formula, the Espoirs De Coronthie are the only ones that have so
far been able to rival their success. At the base, their music is built
from the same hypnotising ingredients – a jumble of various
Guinean traditions presented with a gritty edge to match its innercity
origins. With faster beats, a sharper image and songs called
Sexy Love and Divorce Remix, they have rapidly cultivated a large
following among Guinea’s youth. Going by the ‘neighbourhood
rule’, the Espoirs’ support base is naturally large. Their borough
Coronthie is Conakry’s oldest, poorest, proudest, and most densely
populated area. Family life spills beyond the crumbling remains of
concrete and mud buildings right into the quarter’s tiny alleyways.
Bubbling marmites and basins with dirty laundry sit on the roadside
between improvised football goals and rickety carpenter shops.
By the time we have pushed past the worn-out sheets on the
washing line into the Espoirs’ family courtyard, the whole neighbourhood
knows about our visit. “Everything started here,” says
Ali Camara, the Espoirs’ manager, and keen fan, “here, in this little
house, where four friends called on their mates to play music
together.” A decade after their humble beginnings, the Espoirs are
today closer than ever to becoming Coronthie’s next big success
story – the borough’s burdened shoulders have already lifted some
of Guinea’s greatest football players and intellectuals to the top.
Thanks to the devoted help of the French artist, composer and
self-made producer Antoine Amigues, they had the chance of
releasing their album Tinkhinyi internationally (Wountara Productions),
and spent months touring in Europe, thus carrying the new
Guinean sound far beyond the nation’s borders. Yet they haven’t
forgotten the early days of their blossoming career and are the first
to honour the band that inspired them to seek their fortune in
music: “Our feeling has been inspired by the Etoiles De Boulbinet,”
says Sylla Ali, one of the band’s multi-instrumentalists. “Their
image wasn’t anything like that of the orchestras and bands we
had before. It was natural, and it was beautiful to see them play
their instruments. So we also decided to take this up. Those instruments
are from home, and you can build them even if you don’t
have any money.”
The cheap cost of running an all-percussive ensemble is without
a doubt one of the main reasons for the new acoustic boom –
the calabash percussion of these bands grows quite literally on
trees. Saxophones, guitars, or even guitar strings are almost
impossible to find in Guinea, and certainly not affordable to
youngsters wanting to start out in music. For a while, this meant
that every kid on the block wanted to become a rapper. But making
it in hip-hop requires access to production studios and equipment,
and that’s expensive to come by. And even someone lucky
enough to get his hands on a guitar or studio gear would be
unlikely to rehearse or record – Conakry’s constant power cuts
would have quickly put an end to that ambition. The return to
self-reliance and simplicity was quite possibly the only route left
open to aspiring artists. And as if by chance, the music created out
of those economic constraints radiates all of the most beautiful
aspects of Guinea’s rich artistic traditions.
Forced to rethink progress, the nation’s young artists found
that cutting edge sounds don’t have to mean slick production or
require plenty of shiny gear. “There’s nothing more beautiful here
than traditional instruments,” remarks Ali Camara excitedly, “our
ancestors played kora, balafon and gongoma. The new generation,
via the Etoiles De Boulbinet, has taken the initiative to bring
all those instruments together to see what the result would be.
And we found that you can build an ensemble the same way you
would for any other modern style.”
Not only Guinea’s youth supports the new sounds keenly, the
country’s old guard of musicians is equally thrilled at this unexpected
turn in popular taste. M’bady Kouyate, Guinea’s most
famous kora player and doyen of the prestigious Ensemble Instrumental,
was so moved by the artistic adventures of the Espoirs De
Coronthie that he gave his son Sory Kandia Kouyaté – a coveted
kora wizard like his father – his blessing to join the band.
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“It was hard for people to play with me,” explains
Sory Kandia, “my father didn’t really accept that I
play with others. You’d have to come and see him,
explain what you wanted to do, and he’d decide.
But it was him who entrusted me to the Espoirs De
Coronthie. He saw that they were a good group, that they would
be big and well known. He didn’t want me to get involved in rap
or reggae, but they were still ‘in line’… I love him a lot.” Sory
Kandia is a star today, and the kora enjoys a real revival – just like
the humble gongoma.
“The gongoma has today become a reference for all Guinean
children. Wherever you go, you see children playing it,” states musician
Sylla Ali. Almost anybody can play the gongoma, and even
make it at home. Karim Soumah is the man who builds all of the
instruments for the Etoiles De Boulbinet. He introduces himself as
‘the creator’ of the band, and his room, a dark and dingy workshop
in a Boulbinet side street, is packed to the ceiling with percussion
instruments in various stages of completion. There are gongomas in
all shapes and sizes – square ones as used in Cuba and Sierra Leone,
round calabashes with beautiful decorations, and assorted other
models. Balafons and bolons are propped up against chairs and a
worn-out sofa, and musicians lean in turn on their instruments.
With their bleached hair, dreadlocks and razor cuts, they look
more like a natural hip-hop crew than a new breed of urban traditionalists.
And though their music evokes village gatherings under
mango trees and the historical legends of Mande warriors, their
lyrics tell urban tales of suffering, joy and love, and often contain
thinly veiled criticism of the Guinean government. The Etoiles’
2004 hit Controlez for instance demanded that people should
have the right to choose men of integrity and truth to run their
country. It caused a stir, until the president himself ordered it onto
the airwaves, himself in no doubt that he was that upright leader.
Far from being a nostalgic revival of ancient roots, this music is
the perfect metaphor of a city that’s been plunged into deep crisis.
In 2007, violent strikes shook the capital, and their failure to
achieve real change has cast a shadow of depression over Guinea’s
population. Water cuts and power cuts plague a city whose streets
are emptied of vehicles – few can afford the sharp rises in fuel
costs. With very limited perspectives of finding work, Guinean
youths hope for a chance to go abroad or while away their time
waiting for collapse or change. Music has become for many a way
to fill the hours of enforced patience while preparing for the
vague possibility of touring abroad to return with pockets full of
foreign currency, or disappear in foreign lands.
It’s close to midnight in Conakry, and the state’s electricity
company EDG has once again pulled the plug, drowning most
parts of the city in complete darkness. As the waves of the Atlantic
lap against the shore, a chorus of male voices and percussive beats
join in their rhythm like a dangerously gentle hum of popular defiance.
“There’s not much left here for us,” says Ali Camara, “the
only thing that remains for us today is our culture.” - FROOTS MAGAZINE 1 oct. 08