Music correspondent

Thousands of people gathered in Mali on Sunday to attend the funeral of the musician Amadou Baguyuko, from the world -famous duo Amadou and Mary.
Friends, relatives, admirers and fellow artists flocked to the ceremony in the capital, Bamako – including musician Salif Keita and former Prime Minister Musa Mara.
One of the most successful African musical works in the first decade of the twentieth century, the husband and the Amadou & Mariam’s bilateral wife achieved global fame by combining Western influences of Africa, rhythm and blues.
They sold their advanced album, Dimanche à Bamako 2004, half a million copies around the world and led to cooperation with Blur’s Damon Albarn, as well as a appearance in GlastonBry and Coachella festivals.
The Mali Minister of Culture, Mamo Duffy, said on State TV that Baguoko died on Friday in Bamako at the age of 70.
The musician family confirmed the news, adding that “he was sick for a while.”
No other information was provided about the cause of death, but his widow, Mariam Dumbia, described her husband’s last moments.
“I took his hand and tried to make some movements with her, but she did not move,” she said.
“I said,” Amadou, do not do this, he spoke to Mary … but he did not speak anymore. “
The music was taken to the hospital, where he died later.
“I thought that if Amadu went like this, I am alone,” Dombia added.
“I was alone and I will stay alone in life.”


Franco-Spanish Mano Chao, who produced Dimonch Pamako, led a greeting to Bagyuko in a post on Instagram, saying: “We will always be together … wherever you go.
He added: “Mary, Sam, the whole family, your pain is my pain. I love you.”
Young financial singer Sidik Dabati expressed his regret “another huge loss of financial music.”
Youssou N’dour said that he considers Amadou & Mariam “African music ambassadors almost everywhere in the world.”
Talk to France TV5 MondeHe said that Baguoko had continued his career “with dignity and a way of life that inspired us all … and encouraged us to do what we were doing.”
Inventor “Afro Rock”
He was born in Bamako in 1954, and Bagyoo went blind when he was 15 years old due to the indoor eye lens.
He then joined the Mali Institute for the Blind, where he met his future wife, Mary, who lost her vision at the age of five after contracting the measles.
They formed a group called Mali’s blind couple in 1980, and they moved to the adjacent ivory coast in 1986, after they realized that the advanced music industry in Mali would be an obstacle to their career.
There, they recorded a series of cassette tapes, and they linked the affectionate Dumbia voice to the strong guitar style in Bagyuko, inspired by British works such as LED Zeppelin and between Floyd.
Baguoko said that the goal is to “find a link between them and the Bambara culture.” “AFRO-ROCK” sound.

Their lives were changed when Manu Zhao heard one of their songs on the radio and offered the production of their next album.
It ended in writing and singing in the record, adding a strange rhythmic touches to their commercial brand of desert Blues.
The result was Dimanche à Bamako, which won the Victoire de la musique – equivalent to the France Award for the Grammy Award – and the BBC Radio World Music Award in 2005.
They were nominated, welcome in 2008 in Mali, for the best album of the contemporary world music in Grammys.
This record was produced by Albarn, who invited the duo to participate in his project in Africa Express in 2007, and invited them to wander with Blur during their 2009 shows.
Jake Cersor was a fan of fans, and he took Amadou & Mariam on the road with his band in 2012.
“What they hear about classic rock and real music music,” the Times told the Times at a time when the tour started.
“Now with all music bands, when you play live, everyone gets continuous paths. Everyone is working with a network. It is the right old rock band.”

In 2009, they played in Oslo where Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize; In 2011, a series of concerts organized in the dark to show the masses how they suffered from music.
A year later, they decided to record two copies of their sixth album Folila – one in New York and one with traditional musicians in Bamako.
The idea was to release each of them separately, but in the end, the duo decided to combine the recordings, and mixed the different taking in the same song together in a third studio in Paris.
It includes contributions from Santigold, yes, yes, yes, the TV on the radio, got the second Grammy nomination in 2012.
La Conbussion 2017 dealt with political turmoil in their homeland, where Islamic extremists imposed Sharia law and negative music.
Songs such as Bofou Safou presented strength, resistance and optimism messages amid disturbances. Paguyuko said he hopes that music will be universal
“We started working on the things that were happening in our homeland, but we then realized that they could be applied to many other countries in the world,” He told Okeafrica.
“There is confusion around the world, and it is time to communicate, talk and exchange ideas for a better future and understand.”
The duo were to go on a European tour in May and June, including the UK dates in Shallitham in Brighton.
Bagyuko’s final performance was at the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 games for the disabled.
He survived his wife and son, Sam, who is also a musician.
His spokesman, Jabi Saco, told the news agency to Agence France Presse that Bagyoko “will be buried in the intimate relationship in the yard of his house.”
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