![Ibrahima Sylla](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Ibrahima_Sylla.jpg)
Ibrahima Sylla (2 April 1956 – 30 December 2013) was a Senegalese record producer born in Ivory Coast and founder of the African music label
Syllart Records. He was an internationally acclaimed musician whose production and music direction defined popular African music. From West African dance, to Congolese Soukous (sung in Lingala), to melodic griot-led songs, Sylla's signature as a music producer is unmistakable. He has demonstrated his familiarity with many contemporary African musical genres, and he has worked with most of Africa's musical greats.
Biography
Sylla was born in the Ivory Coast, into a prominent family; his father was Guinean (French Guinea) and was an influential public figure who was well known in West Africa, and whose work took the family to Dakar in
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 ...
. Sylla developed his love for music whilst studying at a university in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, France. He released compilation albums of his favorite Salsa music, and from 1980 he embarked on record production work. He financed an album by
Étoile de Dakar
Étoile de Dakar (“Star of Dakar”) were a leading music group of Senegal in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Youssou N'Dour was one of the singers in the band and the band was a major part of N'Dour's rise to stardom in Senegal.
The group was ...
, featuring
Youssou N'Dour
Youssou N'Dour (, wo, Yuusu Nduur; also known as Youssou Madjiguène Ndour; born 1 October 1959) is a Senegalese singer, songwriter, musician, composer, occasional actor, businessman, and politician. In 2004, ''Rolling Stone'' magazine describe ...
and
Orchestra Baobab
Orchestra Baobab is a Senegalese band established in 1970 as the house band of the Baobab Club in Dakar. Many of the band's original members had previously played with Star Band de Dakar in the 1960s. Directed by '' timbalero'' and vocalist Balla ...
. It was in Paris that Sylla developed working relationships with Africa's upcoming musicians, many of whom were living there.
Sylla has worked with many of Africa's contemporary musicians and he has demonstrated finesse in his production of their music. He worked with many of
Zaire
Zaire (, ), officially the Republic of Zaire (french: République du Zaïre, link=no, ), was a Congolese state from 1971 to 1997 in Central Africa that was previously and is now again known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Zaire was, ...
's (now the
Democratic Republic of Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...
) greats, including:
Les Quatre Etoiles - the renowned DRC group consisting of Soukous greats
Bopol,
Wuta Mayi,
Syran and
Nyboma;
Pepe Kalle
Pepe is a pet form of the Spanish name José (Josep). It is also a surname.
*
People
Mononyms
*Pepe (footballer, born 1935), real name José Macia, Brazilian footballer
*Pepe (footballer, born 1983), real name Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira, ...
,
Sam Mangwana
Sam, SAM or variants may refer to:
Places
* Sam, Benin
* Sam, Boulkiemdé, Burkina Faso
* Sam, Bourzanga, Burkina Faso
* Sam, Kongoussi, Burkina Faso
* Sam, Iran
* Sam, Teton County, Idaho, United States, a populated place
People and fictional ...
,
Tshala Muana
Élisabeth Tshala Muana Muidikay (13 March 1958 – 10 December 2022), known professionally as Tshala Muana, was a singer and dancer from Congo-Kinshasa. Considered the "Queen of Mutuashi", a traditional dance music from her native Kasai region ...
,
Mbilia Bel
M'bilia Bel (born January 10, 1959) is a Congolese rumba, rumba and world music singer from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She is known as the "Queen of Congolese and African Rumba". She rose to fame after first being discovered by Sam Ma ...
, and others. Sylla developed the Soukous concept of tingling, repeated, guitar melodies, adding orchestral harmonies, innovative key changes, and introducing tinges of Salsa music. An example of this can be experienced in his production of
Nyboma's groundbreaking solo album, ''Anicet''.
Zairean Soukous music is highly popular across Africa, South America, and among World Music fans in the West. Sylla's Soukous productions are still celebrated, and they continue to influence the shape and direction of African dance music.
Sylla's production excellence is also demonstrated by his productions of West African dance music, such as in
Oumou Dioubate's albums, and in his direction of Malian and Senegalese griot-led songs. He has also worked with
Baaba Maal
Baaba Maal ( ff, 𞤄𞤢𞥄𞤦𞤢 𞤃𞤢𞥄𞤤, italics=no, born 13 June 1953) is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several al ...
,
Bako Dagnon,
Ismael Lo,
Pape Seck
Pape or PAPE may refer to:
* Pape (given name)
* Pape (surname)
* Pape (TTC), a subway station in Toronto, Canada
* Pape, Montenegro, a village in northern Montenegro
* Pape, Missouri, a community in the United States
* ''Le Pape'', a political tr ...
,
Oumou Sangare,
Gnonnàs Pedro,
Kouyate Sory Kandia,
Bembeya Jazz,
Fanta Damba,
Cape Verde Show,
Alpha Blondy
Seydou Koné (; born January 1, 1953 in Dimbokro), better known by his stage name Alpha Blondy, is an Ivorian reggae singer and international recording artist. Many of his songs are politically and socially motivated, and are mainly sung in hi ...
,
Africando Africando is a musical project formed in 1992 to unite New York-based salsa musicians with Senegalese vocalists. Musicians from other African countries were later included under the name Africando All Stars.
Salsa has been a hugely popular style in ...
,
and
Miriam Makeba
Zenzile Miriam Makeba (4 March 1932 – 9 November 2008), nicknamed Mama Africa, was a South African singer, songwriter, actress, and civil rights activist. Associated with musical genres including Afropop, jazz, and world music, she w ...
.
A recent compilation of his work, the five-album ''20 Years History - The Very Best of Syllart Productions'' (Son
Sterns, introduces new listeners to Sylla's work.
References
External links
2001 interview with Ibrahim Sylla
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sylla, Ibrahim
Ivorian musicians
Ivorian record producers
Place of birth missing
1956 births
2013 deaths
Ivorian emigrants to Senegal