Amadou & Mariam
Sight unseen: They were young, gifted and black - and blind. He had lost his sight to cataracts at 15; she lost hers after contracting measles at the age of five. They met at an institute for young blind people in Bamako, Mali, and since then the Malian musical couple have blazed a trail across Africa and Europe with their exuberant blend of pop, politics, funk, African rhythms and delta blues. Now Amadou Bagayokou and Mariam Doumbia, known as "Le Couple Aveugle du Mali" (The Blind Couple of Mali), are about to hit these shores, playing their debut Irish date in Whelans in Dublin on September 26th. Those who have heard their track, Coulibally, played throughout the summer on Tom Dunne's Pet Sounds on Today FM will be flocking to hear the duo's life-affirming music. Those who have been blind to the brilliance of Amadou & Mariam will no doubt have their musical eyesight restored.
Eyes wide open: Back in the dark days of dictatorship, young Amadou began honing his skilful, fluid guitar style, playing in hotels and ballrooms around the Malian capital, and joining a musical group called Ambassadors du Motel de Bamako, which later boasted Salif Keita as a member. When he met up with singer Mariam in 1976, the two became inseparable, and before long they were married (despite disapproval from their families, who felt a blind couple wouldn't have a chance in the world), had three children, and were performing and writing songs together. The pair's personal chemistry carried over to their music, Amadou's instinctive guitar playing perfectly complementing Mariam's big, soulful voice. Soon their fame spread around Mali, Burkina Faso, the Ivory Coast and all over West Africa; they recorded and released their own cassettes, which were eagerly snapped up by fans in shops, bazaars and market stalls.
Kings of bongo: By 1998, Amadou and Mariam were touring in France, and had moved from homemade cassettes to major-label CDs. They had also gained a few high-profile fans, including French/ Latin star Manu Chao, who offered to produce their new album, Dimanche à Bamako. They said oui, and the album went on to become their most celebrated to date, going gold in France and winning the French equivalent of a Grammy. This summer, the duo won hearts and minds at the Womad festival in Reading, and after their Dublin date will be heading on a short UK tour.
Beady eyes: Massive success won't exactly change Amadou & Mariam: they are both connoisseurs of the finer things in life. Amadou is always impeccably dressed in well-tailored suits, and Mariam is a self-confessed fashion victim, with a large collection of exotic clothing and jewellery. In fact, many young African girls now copy her look, wearing beaded sandals, printed robes and bijoux like their heroine.
