Welcome to Onzou Records! Independent label since 1980 created in appreciation of West African music, dance, culture and knowledge.
Onzou Records, Montreal, QC Canada, produced the instrumental world music album "Nangapè" on vinyl as an LP in 1980 by Yaya Diallo - Malian musician, author, teacher and founder of Farafina Donia - A Survival School for Traditional African Culture in Mali. This was followed with a remastering and release on CD in 2002.
The 1989 stage performance "Live at Club Soda" was published on CD in 2003. This is an album of traditional African music in the modernized Kanza style with the further innovation of performing the music on occidental instruments including saxophone, electric violin, and bass guitar.
Stephen Conroy, Producer/Publisher Onzou Records / Onzou Publishing 4235 Prince-Of-Wales #610 Montreal, QC H4B 0A2 Canada Tel/Fax: 1-514-485-0728 Email: info@onzou.com
NOTE: On October 16, 2011 Stephen Conroy discovered a libelous article posted on Aug. 15, 2011 against Onzou Records and himself as producer on Yaya Diallo's website at: www.yayadiallo.com It should be noted that slander is a crime in Canada.
TAM TAM MONTRÉAL is the video short, 13 min.-27 sec., giving viewers a close-up view of Montreal's incredible weekly Sunday drumming on the mountain event.
View the 4 min. 10 sec. abridged video version of Tam Tam Montréal with music excerpts from Yaya's albums on blip.tv
SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT licensed Yaya Diallo's title track "Nangape" from his album Nangape. Originally released on vinyl in 1980 and reissued on CD in 2002 this track features African hand drumming, balafon and flute music.
Honored with the "Entertainer of the Year" Award by African People's International Awards in Washington DC, July 4, 2005
YAYA DIALLO, Malian musician, author, teacher and "Healing Drum Tour" guide to Mali has turned his attention to cultural and social issues of his native country and the African continent. With the creation of "Farafina Donia" a survival school for traditional African culture in Bamako, Mali Yaya Diallo directs his attention to the transmission of traditional values and knowledge. The center emphasizes education with insights to local customs for both the African and the international community as means of alleviating the spread of the HIV virus.
As an initiate in secret traditional tribal customs in his native village Fienso in Mali and a graduate of the University of Montreal Yaya Diallo posesses a unique background to bridge diverse cultures.
Yaya Diallo: Master drummer, musician, author, composer, African music & dance teacher, lecturer, storyteller, Healing Drum Tour guide to Mali, West Africa and founder of "Farafina Donia" - A Survival School for Traditional African Culture.
BOOKS BY YAYA DIALLO:
The Healing Drum: African Wisdom Teachings - Destiny Books, 1989 ISBN 0-89281-256-7
At the Threshold of the African Soul. The Fulani-Minianka Way. - Intercultural Institute of Montreal Publications, Email: info@iim.qc.ca 1985, 2nd Ed. 2001
Yaya Diallo is available musically either solo, accompanied, or with his band Kanza. Additionally, Yaya Diallo may serve as a consultant and/or lecturer on African issues.
African People's Intercontinental Awards: API Awards is a unique recognition of Africans and people of African descent who have made significant contributions to the growth, promotion and development of Africa.
YAYA DIALLO - Musicien Traditionel de Mali, Afrique Ouest
Un Voyage Musical de Guerison Le premier disque de Yaya Diallo, Nangape, lance en 1980, met en valeur sa connaissance profonde des arts traditionnels de guerison de l'Afrique. Fusionnant instrumentation traditionelle africaine et occidentale, Nangape est reste un album avant-gardiste, meme apres des decennies. Ce disque fut d'une importance cruciale dans le project de Yaya Diallo de revivifier la musique et les traditions de son heritage culturel.
Yaya Diallo a acquis une reputation internationale en tant que musicien, guerisseur, compositeur, danseur, professeur de danse et musique, conferencier, guide a Mali, et auteur.
L'album Nangape, fait au Canada, est le resultat des experiences et influences jeunesse de Yaya Diallo. Cette oeurve reunit deux heritages distincts: la flute provenant de la culture nomade peul et le balafon joue par les sedentaires Minianka. Yaya s'est toujours interesse aux aspects religieux, mystiques et spirituels de la musique.
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