Rail Band and Ambassadeurs discography

Radio Africa

Rail Band and Ambassadeurs discography
and family tree

This "family tree" was created as an attempt to clarify the often confusing origins and cross-overs between these two seminal West African bands. Both bands over the years have had many changes to their line-ups and the discographies below represent as broad a cross-section as possible.

Compiled by Graeme Counsel, with many thanks to Flemming Harrev for his contributions.
Any suggestions or corrections are appreciated.

For more detailed discographies, please visit the Rail Band discography and the Ambassadeurs discography.

Rail Band

1969 Rail Band de Buffet Hôtel de la Gare formed by
     Tidiani Koné.
1970 Salif Keita joins the group as lead vocalist.
1970 Orchestre Rail-Band de Bamako. 33.3 rpm disc.
     Bärenreiter-Musicaphon. BM 30 L 2606.
1971 Mory Kanté joins the group as guitarist / vocalist.
1971 Djelymadi Tounkara, a former member of
     L'Orchestre National "A" de la République du
     Mali, joins the group as lead guitarist.
1972 Salif Keita leaves the band for Les
    Ambassadeurs du Motel. Mory Kanté becomes lead
     singer.
[1973] Rail Band / Kankoun. 45 rpm disc. LGVDST
     3000.
[1973] Diyaba / Sayomba. 45 rpm disc. LGVDST 3001.
[1973] Title unknown. 45 rpm disc. LGVDST 3002.
1973 Moko jolo / Tama diyara. 45 rpm disc. Rail
     Culture Authentique Malienne. RCAM 014573.
1973 Nantan / Naba ye taba ye. 45 rpm disc. Rail
     Culture Authentique Malienne. RCAM 024573.
1973 Rail Band du Mali. 33.3 rpm disc. RCAM 013373.
1973 Regard sur le passé à travers le présent. 33.3
     rpm disc. Mali Music. MALI 1001. (one song only –
     Tidiani Koné)
[1975] L'Orchestre Rail Band - Diaba / Mouodilo.
     45 rpm disc. RCAM /HMV-EMI. HNS 1582.
1975 Makan Ganessy shares the lead vocals.
1975 Mokodiolo / Title unknown. 4501. 45 rpm disc.
1975 Wassamba / Laï soumalei. 4502. 45 rpm disc.
1975 Title unknown. 4507. 45 rpm disc.
1975 Rail Band - Soundiata. L'exil. 33.3 rpm disc.
     RCAM 3301 / HMV-EMI. HNLX 5146.
1975 Rail Band - Balakononifing. 33.3 rpm disc.
     RCAM 3302 / HMV-EMI. HNLX 5147.
1975 Rail Band - Kaïra. 33.3 rpm disc. RCAM 3303 /
     HMV-EMI. HNLX 5148.
1975 Rail Band - Iouseny. 33.3 rpm disc. RCAM 3304 /
     HMV-EMI. HNLX 5149.
1975 Rail Band - Mamadou Boutigui. 33.3 rpm disc.
     RCAM 3305 / HMV-EMI. HNLX 5150.
1975 Rail Band - Soundiata. L'exil. 33.3 rpm disc.
     RCAM 3306 / HMV-EMI. HNLX 5151.
1976 Melodias Rail Band du Mali. 33.3 rpm disc.
     Kouma. KLP 1040.
1976 Concert Rail Band du Mali. 33.3 rpm disc. Kouma.
     KLP 1042.
1976 Melodias Rail Band du Mali. 33.3 rpm disc.
     Kouma. KLP 1043.
1976 Makan Ganessy leaves the band, and retires from singing. Mory Kanté resumes as lead singer.
1977 Super Rail Band. Orchestre du Buffet Hôtel de
     la Gare de Bamako - Wale numa lombaliya. 33.3
     rpm disc. RCAM 3301 / HMV-EMI. HNLX 5179.
1979 Rail Band du Mali - Seigneur Djali Madi
     Tounkara. Volume 1 - Famadenke. 33.3 rpm disc.
     Disco Stock. DS 7918.
1979 Rail Band du Mali - Seigneur Djali Madi
     Tounkara. Volume 2 - Koulandjan. 33.3 rpm disc.
     Disco Stock. DS 7919.
1979 Mory Kanté leaves the group along with
     Djelymadi Tounkara - the lead guitarist. They form
     L'Orchestre Super Rail Band International in
     Abidjan.
1979 Lanfia Diabaté and Sékou Kanté share the lead
     vocals.
[1980] Mamadou Ouedraogo et l'Orchestre Rail Band
     - Sovo per. 33.3 rpm disc. Sacodisc. LS 24.
[1980] L'Orchestre Super Rail Band International -
     Affair social. 33.3 rpm disc. Sacodisc. LS 25.
1983 Super Rail Band Buffet Hôtel de la Gare de
     Bamako - Volume 1. 33.3 rpm disc. RCAM. 3301.
1983 Super Rail Band Buffet Hôtel de la Gare de
     Bamako - Volume 2. 33.3 rpm disc. RCAM. 3302.
[1983] Super Rail Band du Mali - Soundiata. 33.3 rpm
     disc. Disco Stock. DS 7908.
[1983] The Super Rail Band - Mansa. 33.3 rpm disc.
     Indigo. LBLC 2520.
[1984] Djelymadi Tounkara rejoins the band.
[1984] Damory Kouyate shares the lead vocals.
1985 The Super Rail Band - Foliba. CD released as
     New dimensions in rail culture. Globestyle. ORB
     001.
[1989] Rail Band du Mali - Djougoua magni. 33.3 rpm
     disc. EMI. 150392-4.
1988 Rail Band - Salif Keita & Mory Kanté. Mali stars.
     Volume 1. CD. Syllart. SYL 38750-1. Re-release of
     material from Rail Band - Soundiata and Orchestre
     Rail-Band de Bamako.
1994 Salif Keita - 69.80. CD. Sonodisc. 74646.
     Contains material by L'Orchestre Rail-Band de
     Bamako and Ambassadeurs Internationaux.
1995 Super Rail Band de Bamako. CD. Indigo. CD
     LBLC 2500.
1996 Super Rail Band - Mansa. CD. Harmonia Mundi.
     CD LB 2520.
1997 Les Nuits de Bamako. Années 70 / 78. CD.
     Syllart. SYLAF 9607. Contains "Walignouma
     Lombaliya" and "Balakononfing".
[1998] Rail Band - Mory Kanté & Salif Keita. CD.
     Sonodisc. SD 40.
2003 Super Rail Band de Bamako. Kongo sigui. CD.
     Label bleu. LBLC 2581.

Le Super Rail Band perform regularly at La djembe in Lafiabougou, Bamako.

Les Ambassadeurs

1969 Les Ambassadeurs du Motel formed with
     Ousmane Dia on vocals.
1972 Kanté Manfila joins the band as lead guitarist and
     vocalist.
1972 Salif Keita joins the group as lead vocalist.
1975 Kanté Manfila et les Ambassadeurs -
     Ambassadeur / Mana mana. 45 rpm disc. Sonafric.
     SAF 1725.
1975 Les Ambassadeurs du Motel - Super pitie /
     Bolola sanou. 45 rpm disc. Sonafric. SAF 1773.
1976 Les Ambassadeurs du Motel - Saranfing /
     Sabar. 45 rpm disc. Sonafric. SAF 1786.
1976 Les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako -
     Ngana / Djoula. 45 rpm disc. Sonafric. SAF 1814.
[1976] Les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako -
     Tiécolomba / M'bourm-mousso. 45 rpm disc.
     Sonafric. SAF 1815.
1976 Les Ambassadeurs du Motel. 33.3 rpm disc.
     Sonafric. SAF 50014.
1977 Les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako -
     Volume 1. 33.3 rpm disc. Sonafric. SAF 50030.
1977 Les Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako -
     Volume 2. 33.3 rpm disc. Sonafric. SAF 50031.
1978 Salif Keita, Kanté Manfila and other members of
     the group leave for Abidjan and create Ambassadeurs
     Internationaux.
1978 Salif Keita & Kanté Manfila - Dans l'authenticité.
     Volume 1. 33.3 rpm disc. Badmos. BLP 5031.
1978 Salif Keita & Kanté Manfila - Dans l'authenticité.
     Volume 2. 33.3 rpm disc Badmos. BLP 5032.
1978 Ambassadeur Internationaux - Mandjou.
     33.3 rpm disc. Badmos BLP 5040. Re-released in
     1984. Celluloid. CEL 6721.
1978 Ambassadeur Internationaux collaborate with
     Leon Keïta. 33.3 rpm disc. Papa Disco (DISCO 011).
     Re-released as DISCO 1127 with extra tracks by
     Dembo Conté (from DISCO 27).
1980 Ambassadeur International - Seydou bathily.
     33.3 disc. Badmos. BIR 002.
[1981] Salif Keita et les Ambassadeurs Internationaux
     - Bithiéloulé. 33.3 rpm disc. Badmos. BIR 009.
1981 Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux - Tounkan.
     33.3 rpm disc. Sako Productions. SP 001.
1981 Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux - Mani Mani.
      33.3 rpm disc. Sako Productions. SP 002.
[1982] Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux -
     Djougouya. 33.3 rpm disc. AS Records. AS 008.
      Re-released by Celluloid. CEL 6635.
1982 Salif Keita leaves the group, though the
     Ambassadeurs continue with different lead singers.
1982 Sadio Kouyaté et les Ambassadeurs
    Internationaux du Mali - Kamelen. 33.3 rpm disc.
     Disco Stock. DS 7981.
1982 Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux du Mali -
     Ledy Youla. 33.3 rpm disc. Disco Stock. DS 7986.
1982 Sory Bamba du Mali. 33.3 rpm disc. Sako
     Production. SP 003. (Sory Bamba was the lead singer
     of the Orchestre Régional du Mopti, performing here
     with several members of the Ambassadeurs).
1983 Youssouf Kanté and Djèkoria Diabaté - Natoma
     33.3 rpm disc. AS Records. AS 017.
1983 Best of Ambassadeurs. 33.3 rpm disc. Celluloid.
     CEL 6640.
1983 Sandaly Kanté, Nhawa Kanté and Les
     Ambassadeurs Internationaux - Foudou!?! 33.3 rpm
     disc. Maïkano. MAÏ LPS 1040.
[1983] Oumou Kouyaté - Kala joula. 33.3 rpm disc.
     Sacodis. LS 56.
[1983] Ousmane Kouyaté - Bintou. 33.3 rpm. Sacodis.
     LS 62.
[1984] Ousmane Kouyaté et Le Ambassadeurs
     Internationale. Volume 1. 33.3 rpm disc. Musique
     Mondiale. MAD 006.
[1984] Y'ssouf Kanté - Mansa coulou. 33.3 rpm disc.
     Aicodis. AICD 003.
1984 Les Ambassadeurs Internationaux - Salif Keita
     and Kanté Manfila. 33.3 rpm disc. Celluloid. CEL 6717.
1986 Salif Keita et les Ambassadeurs - Africa roots.
     Volume 4. CD. Milkweg 08-023863-20. (contains live
      version of "Primpin")
1988 Mamadi Diabaté et Les Ambassadeurs
     Internationaux - Kanté Manfila présente Mamadi
     Diabaté. Malian cassette. 7421.
[1990] Les Ambassadeurs featuring Salif Keita &
     Kanté Manfila. CD. Mélodie. 47018-2.
1990 Les Ambassadeurs, featuring Salif Keita & Kanté
     Manfila - Dance music from West Africa. CD.
     Rounder. 5013.
1992 Les Ambassadeurs Internationales featuring
     Salif Keita. CD. Rounder. 5053.
1997 Les nuits de Bamako. Années 70 / 78. CD. Syllart.
     SYLAF 9607. Contains "Wara".

This page was created on April 25 2000 and was last updated on August 1 2008.

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