Arat Kilo moves between several musical genres.
The band blends ethio-jazz and Afro-groove, driven by the powerful voice of Malian singer Mamani Keita.
The horns and keyboards weave melodies inspired by Ethiopian tradition, while the rhythms are rooted in very contemporary grooves. The lyrics address political and social issues, but the music retains a deeply collective energy.
It’s music with a social conscience, yet always in motion.
And when the groove really kicks in, it becomes almost impossible not to move along with it.
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DJ Ras Mali
Having arrived from Mali in the 1990s with hundreds of cassettes of traditional music, Ras Mali has since established himself in French-speaking Switzerland as a leading collector of African music.
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Mamani Keita: vocals
Michael Havard: saxophones, flute, bass clarinet
Fabien Girard: guitars
Samuel Hirsch: bass guitar, bass synth
Gérald Bonnegrace: percussion
Aristide Gonçalves: trumpet, keyboard
Florent Berteau: drums and sound engineer
