Linké Condé has passed away. He died in Conakry on 10 April 2021 after a long illness.
Guinea, and the world, have lost a great treasure.
Linké Condé was the guitarist in Guinea's national orchestra, Kélétigui et ses
Tambourinis. Guinea has many famous guitarists, but few outside of Guinea have recognised the talents and
creativity of Condé's musical contribution to the valorisation
of his nation's music.
Condé's musical awakening began when he was inspired by
the guitarist Kerfala "Grand Papa" Diabaté, an
original member of Guinea's famed Syli Orchestre National.
In the early 1960s, having grown to over 30
musicians, the orchestra was split into two formations,
the Orchestre du
Jardin de Guinée (led by Mamadi Kourouma, and
later by Balla Onivogui and re-named as Balla et ses Balladins) and
the Orchestre de la Pailotte (led by "Grand Papa" Diabaté and then by
Kélétigui Traoré and renamed as Kélétigui et ses Tambourinis). Condé
began his musical career with
the orchestra Les Déménageurs Africains before moving to Le Climat
de Guinée and then to Orchestre de la Pailotte. He was a founding member
of Kélétigui et ses Tambourinis and after the death of Kélétigui
Traoré he became the chef d'orchestre.
Of all the Guinean
musicians I have had the fortune to meet, no-one had
a greater knowledge of Guinean
music than
Linké
Condé. During my
archival projects at Radio Télévision Guinée, I would
often go to La Pailotte and sit with the musicians of Guinea's 1st
republic and we would listen to recordings I had recently archived. Sometimes, these
songs recorded on 1/4" tape had no name and no information written on
them, but Linké could identify the song and the performer in a flash. His knowledge of Cuban music was equally as
encyclopedic, and during an era when every other Guinean orchestra would
feature two or three electric guitarists, Kélétigui et ses Tambourinis
featured just one: Linké Condé. His solos and rhythm guitar
accompaniment weren't always
mixed into the foreground to the extent of other bands of the era, for
example, Bembeya Jazz, as they predate the "modern" Syliphone studio
facilities of post 1967, but a close listening to the Tambourinis sound in
the mid 1960s reveals his inventive and groovy ostinato patterns straight out of
the best of the Mandé griots lute repertoire.
Listen to Mariama
from circa 1964 as an example, and
listen to
Kesso to hear Linké in full flight.
Sékou
"Diamond Fingers" Diabaté (left) and Linké Condé. 2012.
Image copyright
Graeme Counsel 2021
Linké Condé's last years were very difficult. Though he
lost his eyesight while in his 50s, it did not deter him from leading
the Tambourinis. I saw many a rehearsal and performance of the orchestra
at the La Pailotte venue, marvelling at their rendition of Soundiata
which featured Linké's guitar solos. In 2019, he suffered a stroke
which left him paralysed and bed-ridden, and he was no longer able to
lead the band.
Linké was always very generous with his time and always willing to share his knowledge and memories.
He was always cheerful, and I miss
him dearly.
My condolescences to his family and friends. May
he rest in peace. A video of Linké Condé with Keletigui et ses Tambourinis
is here.
His solo commences at 5' 10".
Unfortunately the video needs repair, and we hope that the
staff at Radio Television
Guinee are
working on its restoration.
Copyright 2021
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