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The Danish music scene

On his arrival in Denmark the young bass player immediately captured the attention of
the established Danish rock scene with his fierce, grooving and always convincing
approach to his instrument. Throughout the 1970s and the 1980s Moussa Diallo set fire to
prominent Danish rock/fusion bands like Sneakers, Skunk Funk, Savage Rose and many
others. He was also the leading rhythmical force when famed singer Anne Linnet formed
her revolutionary band Marquis de Sade in 1983. For the past ten years Moussa Diallo
has been an indispensable member of renowned Danish singer/composer Hanne Boel’s
group on stage as well as in the studio.

Visions and influence

Besides being a prominent member of the said bands, Moussa Diallo generously shared
his musical visions with other musicians, bass players in particular, helping them become
skilled in basic rhythms and contrapuntal within the beat. During his early years as a
musician Moussa Diallo played by sense and feel - written music was not his cup of tea.
He still is not too comfortable with given forms and sheet music, but has a rare gift of
being able to define the heart of the music and put his feel into it. Moussa Diallo’s playing
is always recognizable, his lines fit the music like a glove and his powerful groove
provides any format with raw energy and a complete understanding of the basic
elements in the music.

Moussa Diallo has influenced many Danish bass players. He is an extremely respected
and admired music personality of the Danish music scene, not only because of his
achievements as a musician, but also because of the human warmth and gentleness that
he projects.

Solo albums

Moussa Diallo has released a number of solo albums, all of them showing his diversified
approach to music. Already in the albums "Diallo" (1992) and "Amora" (1997) you can
clearly sense his African roots in the music. But you also hear influences from artists like
James Brown, Jimi Hendrix and Prince. But above all, you have the opportunity to listen
to a great bass player laying down the grooves combining sincere feelings with sublime
musicianship.

The KinkÉliba Project

During recent years Moussa Diallo has concentrated more on performing and recording
his own compositions with a stronger focus on the African sounds. He has brought
together some of the very best West African artists currently living in Denmark with
some of the country’s top musicians launching "The Kinkéliba Project". This diverse
constellation musically reflects the cosmopolitan reality of today and challenges cultural
traditions in music by creating a significant new sound.

The Kinkéliba Project is planned as a trilogy. The first CD was also recorded in a live
version at Copenhagen Jazzhouse (2001) and the second album "Chiwara" was published
in 2002. The final part of the musical journey is currently being recorded with the working
title "Funky Monster".

In 2001 Moussa made a documentary film about going back to his roots in Mali, together
with filmmaker Robert Grant Larsen. The film is also a musical meeting between Moussa
and Malian musicians like Toumani Diabaté, Habib Koite, Amadou & Mariam and many
more. The film "Kinkéliba - A Musical Journey" has been shown on both Danish and
French TV. An English version of the film is also available.

The aim of "The Kinkéliba Project" is to invite soloists from different cultural
backgrounds, leading to an experience where musical communication knows no
boundaries. An example is the concert at the Copenhagen Jazz Festival at Tivoli in July
2000, which was a joint venture between Moussa Diallo and the internationally renowned
Danish trumpet player Palle Mikkelborg. At this occasion the English born harpist Helen
Davies also joined the project.

Diallo's seventh release "Reflections" (2005) features four compositions by Moussa Diallo
with prominent guest artists and was composed for an art exhibition in Copenhagen,
Denmark..

Concerts and story telling for Children

The songs on the album "Chiwara" were inspired by the African story-telling tradition and
the stories of Moussa Diallo's own father in particular. Moussa himself is also a great
story teller and he especially enjoys the young audience. In several different
constellations and projects he has toured schools in the Scandinavian countries with his
songs and an entertaining show.

In 2004 the album "Once Upon a time in Mali" was released with 12 African fairy tale
songs. It was published in Danish together with a colourful book with stories, recipes and
games ...all for children. The book is illustrated by Dominique Jal. English, French and
Greek versions of the CD have also been recorded and await release.

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