Seydou Koné (French pronunciation: [sɛdu kɔne]; born January 1, 1953 in Dimbokro, N'Zi Region),
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 his native language of Dioula, French and in English, though he occasionally uses other languages, for example, Arabic or Hebrew.
Alpha Blondy Bio Hailing from the Cote d'Ivoire, Alpha Blondy is among the world's most popular reggae artists. With his 12-piece band Solar System, Blondy offers a reggae beat with a distinctive
African cast. Calling himself an African Rasta, Blondy creates Jah-centered anthems promoting morality, love, peace, and social consciousness. With a range that moves from sensitivity to rage over injustice, much of Blondy's music empathizes with the impoverished and those on society's fringe. Blondy is also a staunch supporter of African unity, and to this end, he sings to Moslem audiences in Hebrew and sings in Arabic to Israelis. Some of his best-known songs include "Cocody Rock," "Jerusalem," and "Apartheid Is Nazism."
He grew up listening to African folkloric music such as yagba and gumbe, his primary musical influences were such Western bands as Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Hendrix, the Beatles, Creedence
Clearwater Revival, and soul artists like Otis Redding. Later Bob Marley's music tremendously affected Blondy. Though he wanted to become a musician, his family expected him to become a respectable English teacher. He studied English at Hunter College in New York, and later in the Columbia University American Language Program. Outside of class, he would play music in Central Park and in Harlem clubs where occasionally house bands would let him sing his Bob Marley covers in French, English, and various West African languages.
Blondy got his big break from friend Fulgence Kass, an employee of Ivory Coast Television who helped him land a spot on the Premiere Chance talent show. Singing three of his own tunes plus
Burning Spear's "Christopher Columbus," the young artist was a hit with the audience. Blondy then hooked up with producer G. Benson who recorded his eight-song debut album Jah Love in a single day. The most popular song, "Brigadier Sabari," was an account of Blondy's run-in with an Abidjan police street raid in which he was nearly beaten to death. It was the first time a West African artist had dared to mention random police brutality in public. After releasing the album, he and the newly formed Solar System band signed to EMI. They recorded his second album, Cocody Rock, in Paris in 1984.
He used his music to address political and spiritual issues, with some of his most popular songs dealing
with political topics of the times, like 1985's "Apartheid Is Nazism" and 1998's "Yitzhak Rabin," a tribute to the assassinated Israeli Prime Minister. Sometimes called the Bob Marley of Africa, he worked with the Wailers on the 1983 single "Cocody Rock" as well as the 1986 album Jerusalem.Later he returned to Tuff Gong to record his third album, Jerusalem(1986). By the release of his 1987 album Revolution, Blondy had established himself as an international artist.
His 1992 album, Masada, was released in over 50 countries around the world and went double gold in France. Yitzhak Rabin followed in 1998; Paris Percy appeared in spring 2001. Although it was recorded in 1999, the album Elohim appeared in 2002 in Europe and three years later in America. The career-
spanning Akwaba: The Very Best of Alpha Blondy was released in 2005, then Jah Victory followed in 2007. The 2011 release Vision was issued by the Wagram label, while his 2013 effort, Mystic Power, launched his relationship with the VP imprint. The veteran reggae label issued his 2016 release, Positive Energy, which featured guest appearances from Tarrus Riley and Ijahman Levi. Now in his sixties, Blondy continued performing and releasing new music, with the new studio album Human Race arriving in 2018.
Masada is a studio album by Ivory Coast reggae artist Alpha Blondy, with The Solar System. It was released in 1992 on World Pacific. The album was very popular in France, where it went double gold. The Washington Post wrote that the album "offers an invariably melodic mix of romantic Afro-pop ('Rendezvous'), spiritual things ('God Is One') and political anthems ('Peace in Liberia'), all fashionably arranged to suit Blondy's yearning tenor."
TRACKS
01. Masada 5:00
02. Multipartisme (Médiocratie) 4:15
03. Rendez-Vous 3:30
04. God Is One 4:10
05. Yéyé 4:27
06. Desert Storm 4:23
07. Houphouet Yako 3:38
08. Peace In Liberia 3:43
09. Papa Bakoye 4:31
10. Les Chiens 3:31
11. Sciences Sans Conscience 4:08
12. Fulgence Kassy 3:48
13. Ca Me Fait Si Mal 3:45
14. Mystic Night Move 4:00
Personnel
Arranged By – Alpha Blondy, Boncana Maiga
Backing Vocals – Colau Van Montagu, Corine Van Montagu, Marylou Seba
Bass Guitar – Abou Bbass Ae
Electronic Drums, Keyboards – Romie (Ibis) Lawrence
Engineer (Assistant Prise De Son) – Philippe Gassert
Engineer [Prise De Son] – Dennis-Bovel, Laurent Patte
Keyboards [Akai 1100] – Michel Lorents
Lead Vocals – Alpha Blondy
Mixed By – Dennis-Bovel
Mixed By (Assistant De Mixage) – Laurent Patte
Percussion – Clayton Joseph, Max Facon
Percussion (Tama) – Bou N'Diaye (tracks: 2)
Percussion (Zarb) – Pierre Rigopoulos (tracks: 6)
Photography By – Pierre Terrasson
Rhythm Guitar – Afriloue Eugène, Christian Poloni
Soloist, Guitar – Christian Poloni
Soloist, Saxophone – Alan Hoist
Strings – Kouznetzof Alain, Gaunet Jean, Michel Cron
Tenor Saxophone – Hatot Alain
Trombone – Bolognesi Jacques
Trumpet – Philippe Slominski
PEACE IN LIBERIA LYRICS
We want peace in Liberia
Peace in Monrovia
We want peace in Liberia
Peace in Monrovia
Cause Babylone shall not rise again
Babylone shall not rise again
Babylone shall not stand again
Babylone shall not stand again
Cause everyday they talking about
The Liberian civil war
And everywhere over JAH land
Muddy rivers of blood oh Lord!
No matter who wins, Liberia is crying
No matter who looses, Liberia still crying
No matter who's right, they've got to stop the fight
No matter matter who's wrong, the devil still stronger...
So we want peace in Liberia
Peace in Monrovia
We want peace in Liberia
Peace in Monrovia
Cause Babylone shall not rise again
Babylone shall not rise again
Babylone shall not stand again
Babylone shall not stand again
We calling on Jesus Christ to save I and I
We calling Jesus Christ to save I and I
We calling on Allah to save I and I
Calling Adonaí to save I and I
Cry, cry Liberia...
Cry, cry Liberia...
Cry, cry Liberia...
Cry, cry Liberia...
MP3 @ 320 Size: 130 MB
Flac Size: 383 MB
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