Ears of the People: Ekonting Songs from Senegal and The Gambia, by Various Artists

Ears of the People: Ekonting Songs from Senegal and The Gambia

by Various Artists

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1.	Musa Diatta - Watu Eriring bee Kaolo 03:06	lyrics	buy track
Watu eriring bee kaolo The time has come to rest Jijaw jijenleen Mustafa Sambou Go get Mustafa Sambou Mantee niyapula ekonting Maybe he’ll bring his ekonting Ee Adiatta, ee AGoyo Yes Adiatta, yes Agoyo Ee Adiatta, ee jakum mbuinoor Yes Adiatta, yes don’t think of anything
2.	Abdoulaye Diallo - Ami Kolle / Salymane / Alassane 03:26	lyrics	buy track
Inje nijukuti ni sabori If I don’t see you, my heart weeps Ami Kolle Ami Kolle Ekondoor ejonjon Her beautiful neck Salymane, Emit ekaane noromb Salymane, may God give you many years of life Añiil a ko taate The child is here Saly o Saly Salymane Saly oh Saly Salymane Alassane o ana atumaali Alassane someone accuses you Alassane o du katoma Emite Alassane leave it to God Dioufa Dioufa uma jatu añiilaya Dioufa Dioufa you have no children here
3.	Sijam Bukan - Mamba Sambou 02:00	lyrics	buy track
O e o Mamba Sambou Oh ay oh Mamba Sambou O e o Ekona Diatta Oh ay oh Ekona Diatta
4.	Adama Sambou and Ejam Kasa - Colobane Yolooli 02:08	lyrics	buy track
Kayoñooli, Colobane kupulo Our team, we came to Colobane Colobane detam yolooli Our lower Colobane A wa, o ee elobaay ekedu A wa, oh yes the words die here O we iyo, kati kulembo da asungute Oh ay eyo, he loves the lithe ladies Djibuul ya o e, ajake aïnorool we o we Djibuul ya oh ay, his beautiful girlfriend, way oh way
5.	Sijam Bukan - Diego 03:03	lyrics	buy track
O e o Diego ukaan atension Oh ay oh Diego, be careful Baabe lesindo This isn’t our home
6.	Jean Kangaben Djibalen - Elenbeja 02:35	lyrics	buy track
O Sambalukungen o e aliinom e Oh Sambalukengen oh ay my sister ay Ya o e nikonom hukenoola jikao bo Yah oh ay I told her, let that butt go there A o e Diambon Ah oh ay Diambon Aliinom e Diambon oomei My sister ay Diambon where are you? A o e nikonom hukenoola jikao bo I told him, let that butt go A o e Sambou kuliinom Ah oh ay Sambou my sisters A o e aliinom e Ah oh ay my sister ay A o e nikonom hukenjoola jikao bo I told him, let that butt go
7.	Esukolaal - Bapaalaay 03:24	lyrics	buy track
Bapaalaay, Emite ekaane bapaalaay Friendship, Emite made friendship Baabo napurulo ahuna puro gagalam He came from here, the other one came from the other side Jiemore nisumuul jikaan bapaalaay They met and agreed to make friendship O ay o way, o ay o ay Oh aye oh aye, oh aye oh aye
8.	Elisa Diedhiou - Aline Sitoe 02:35	lyrics	buy track
I a o Adiatta ejukotool Ee ah oh Adiatta, I didn’t see her Elisa ejukutool o e ma Elisa, I didn’t see her oh ay ma Bouba Dioumaye bukon kai? Bouba Dioumaye where is he? Añiil ajoola tan dutokool burok The Jola child does nothing but work dahase Mama Aline Sitoe Mama Aline Sitoe Ubonket wulaw kasumay kulanuul We pray that peace returns to the Casamance bo Casamance kuwañaal Ata Emit aranbenool anubaj Father Emit return us to peace da kasumay Di burokolaal duyokale And to our work farming rice Aha añiil asukaten Aha the poor child
9.	Sijam Bukan - Sijam Bukan 02:24	lyrics	buy track
Sijam Bukan nisaaful Ears of the People I greet you Sambu ayilat jigom Sambou doesn’t know how to dance Jakum di yaka, analul jonjon You must not clap for him, he’s no good Jilo solo buul Say what you want Kayla uifoli jinaña orkes Play the drums, we’ll dance to the orchestra Jukun ohuyo olooli Don’t break them Jililo bale sume The drums are speaking but it’s good
10.	Daniel Laemou-Ahuma Jatta - Kunaare Kati Gambi 02:25	lyrics	buy track
Inje Gambia kunaare Gambi disaaful My Gambia, women of Gambia I greet you Inje Gambia kunaare Gambi disaaful My Gambia, women of Gambia I greet you Bukuru jirambene bañiilabo kujaw kajanka You helped the children go to school Kunaare Gambi disaaful Women of Gambia I greet you
11.	Bouba Diedhiou - Aduna Esore 02:34	lyrics	buy track
Aliin oomei, o ye mama Where is my sister? And my mother? Iyo ndeysaan, aduna esore Yes, it’s true, the world is dispersed Iyo ndeysaan, aliinom ejukutool Yes, it’s true, I did not see my sister Iyo ndeysaan, atiom ejukutool Yes, it’s true, I did not see my brother Iyo ndeysaan, inyaom ejukutool Yes, it’s true, I did not see my mother Iyo ndeysaan, Africa esore Yes, it’s true, Africa is dispersed Iyo ndeysaan, Casamance esore Yes, it’s true, Casamance is dispersed Iyo ndeysaan, aduna esore Yes, it’s true, the world is dispersed
12.	Elisa Diedhiou - Adiatta Ubonketom 02:44	lyrics	buy track
Inje o, inje o, mama o, inje o e Me oh, me oh, mama oh, me oh ay Kone kumo kenom They are coming to get me Adiatta ubonketom Adiatta pray for me Cerie umbaam dakonom buinoor My darling makes me worry Dajaw bai? Dajaw dabetenom Where did he go? He has left me
13.	Adama Sambou and Ejam Kasa - Ajeme 03:19	lyrics	buy track
Ajeme sijul ebaay Ajeme has calves like a bull Sembe o ye Strength o ye Commandant aletenut du kiletam The commandant, if he’s not there Bu nukaane buyaben anaare Now you will not marry a woman
14.	Musa Diatta - Celestine 03:01	lyrics	buy track
O i yetu Senegal Oh ee she’s going to Senegal O i o Celestine Oh ee oh Celestine Mama nahangnool echen Mother gave her a necklace Ajiro tindaume, koriye blengarool The beautiful girl, she caught the bus Ukaton ayo marse, ajiro i o We went to the market, girl ee oh Kuliinom kono nauswe katonool yome My sisters told me to sigh and let her go Ajiro ajonjon, ajiro tindaume Pretty girl, beautiful girl Koriye blengarool She caught the bus
15.	Daniel Laemou-Ahuma Jatta - Aliinom 01:07	lyrics	buy track
Dasinga Bambara She married a Bambara A i o aliinom Ah ee oh my sister A i o enya Ah ee oh mother O i o aliinom Oh ee oh my sister
16.	Esukolaal - Koriye 02:49	lyrics	buy track
Koriye koriye jajaw Ndakaru The bus, the bus went to Dakar O i ye Oh ee yay
17.	Adama Sambou and Ejam Kasa - Ahan Bokin 03:57	lyrics	buy track
O ahan boekin o ee Oh elder of the shrine oh yes Aye etanito ewoto alunlum mooy He doesn’t get into white people’s cars Mata wa da nini Because he is sacred Nita ewoto, akila kiyo Or a car, it belongs to him Nita busaana, akila kibo Or a canoe, it belongs to him
18.	Sijam Bukan - Asum Bunuk 03:02	lyrics	buy track
Seka nahangooli kawa Seka is better than us at collecting palm sap Asum bunuk o we A good palm wine collector oh way
19.	Bouba Diedhiou - Kanyalen Rosalie 02:31	lyrics	buy track
Malegen Rosalie nambokotool It’s true Rosalie is dying again Aketua mati inyayool Maybe it’s because of her mother We i o ujuro yerambenool Way ee oh girls help her get well We i o nati beloole Way ee oh take her in your arms
20.	Adama Sambou and Ejam Kasa - Aguene Diambone 08:04	info	buy track
21.	Musa Diatta - Aliinom (Ballanta) 02:51	info	buy track
22.	Esukolaal - Asunge 01:57	lyrics	buy track
O asunge dabile Oh the asunge has arrived Jijaw jijuker huken jahoala Look at her butt shake Huken jahatta asunge a e The asunge’s butt ah ay Eniil esansuman What a great body Asunge nagalom ayisen boola asunge The asunge showed me her house O e dabetenom Oh ay she tossed me aside Bata asunga nijene I went to asunge’s house Ijukutool a ye I didn’t see her ah yay O Emite ehase Oh God knows
23.	Abdoulaye Diallo - Inje Mama Oomei? 01:25	lyrics	buy track
Inje mama oomei My mother, where are you? Inje mama ejukutool My mother, I didn’t see her Mama Ndiaye a o e Mama Ndiaye ah oh ay Mama Ndiaye ejukutool Mama Ndiaye I didn’t see her Awa Diatta o e Awa Diatta oh ay
24.	Jean Kangaben Djibalen - Madu 08:39	lyrics	buy track
Akila asuma ndeysaan She’s a nice young girl, it’s true Inje timba nasuma sujuul I love her nice big calves Hukeng asuma hubeben She has a nice big butt Nome ekondorool ebet hulong She has lines around her neck Mina jukeri suma ndeysaan When she looks at you, it’s good, oh yes Akila asuma Madeline She’s a nice young girl, Madeline Alomba suma nufaaña She looks good walking in front of you Hukeng asuma hubeben She has a nice big butt Ekondorool ebet hulong She has lines around her neck Mama ujuma tonama ceri Mama when you look her direction, darling O e o e ya yo we e o ceri ndeysaan Oh ay oh ay ya yo way eyo darling it’s true Abofen nayab ejonjon (x4) Abofen married a beautiful girl (x4)
25.	Abdoulaye Diallo - Ayinga Bañiil Dane Dibuke Ban 03:07	lyrics	buy track
Jimojenom di nabo ni nanom If you forget me, I will remain alone Jibetenom bukurool jiyoke If you abandon me, you will wear yourself out Ayinga Bañiil najaw Kouba Loum Ayinga Bañiil went to Kouba Loum Jimojenom di nabo ni nanom If you forget me, I will remain alone Jibetenom bukurool jiyoke If you abandon me, you will wear yourself out Ayinga Bañiil dane dibuke ban Ayinga Bañiil is already born Wo we a ha Wo way ah ha Efuru bujom dinanom When I leave in the morning, I am alone Midi neeri ni dinanom At midday, I am alone Katin kuringe dinanom When evening comes, I am alone Tanotan ujuko ma dinanom Anywhere you see me, I am alone Aima kanoma nigeleen But who threw me out? Inje watanot tanowan I accuse no one Mata kanut di chansi Because to each their own destiny

about

Ears of the People is a collection of sublime contemporary recordings of the ekonting, a three-stringed gourd lute played by Jola people in Gambia and the Casamance region of Senegal. The nine tradition-bearers featured on the album share stories of love, heartache, conflict, spirituality, and all that is unique and beautiful in Jola culture over the rolling lilt of the instrument. An important forebear of the American banjo, the ekonting drives lively dancing and brings these stories to life. These songs, rarely heard outside Senegambia, are a living tapestry of the Jola people and a unique interweaving of human voices and stringed instruments.

credits

released February 3, 2023

Produced by Scott Linford
Recorded and mixed byScott Linford
Mastered by Pete Reiniger
Annotated by Daniel Laemou-Ahuma Jatta and Scott Linford
Photos by Scott Linford
Executive producers: Daniel E. Sheehy and John Smith
Production manager: Mary Monseur
Production assistant: Kate Harrington
Editorial assistance by James Deutsch
Art direction, design and layout by Visual Dialogue

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