WOMAD

Takeifa

From Senegal

Takeifa success story began in 1992 in Kaolack (Senegal) when Jac Keita, leader and compositor, who was eleven, left children games aside and begged his father to buy him an old guitar. It had no strings so he used bicycle cables to star creating his own music. Despite his young age, he was quickly noticed among other local artists.
Soon he started rehearsing with his three brothers and sister, Cheikh (guitar), Iba (drums), Maama (bass) and Fadhel (voice), so the group took his current name Takeifa, which means Keita family. His professional career took off in 2.006 when they decided to move to Dakar. They conquered the capital, then the country and finally they moved onto international stages where they have since played with Femi Kuti, Youssundou, Salif Keita, Darra J, Emir Kusturika, Public Enemy, La Jam, Ojos de Brujo, Chambao, BEBE, Macaco, El Bicho, 08001, Alpha Blondy, Bassekou Koukayate, Cheikh Lô, Tiken ja Fakoly... among many others.
Takeifa music suggests breaking down barriers, proximity between cultures, cultural hybridity and equality. His songs talk about issues such as childhood poverty (Talibé), traditional superstitions (Guissané), immigration (My dream) or education (Senegal). Sung in different languages (French, English, Spanish), although their native language Wolof is the dominant, Takeifa songs have a unique African pop style covering reagge, jazz, acoustic… His African roots are reflected not only in their music, but also in their bare feet on the stage, meaning attachment to the land and the need to take care of the Earth.
After their first album, Diaspora, published in 2008, Takeifa is preparing his next record it is a great fusion between Africa and the occidental world, with new features such as the incorporation of the contemporary keyboard, traditional instruments and French and English rap or flamenco voices. The album has a clear message: the unification of the African continent.
Takeifa is a new musicians generation, new breaking frontiers music, with a clear objective to share his components worries with the world.
(Biography supplied by artist management 2010)
www.takeifa.com

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