re 22 — Friday. April 9, 1999 — North Shore News African star on the ri Michael Becker News Editor michacl@nsnews,com THE fast year of the millennium has been a geod one for Alpha Yaya Diallo. A veteran of the Guinean band Fatala, Diallo is a gifted songwriter and guitarist with avery fine voice. Along with his band Bafing, Diallo picked up a Juno award carli- er this year for Best Global Recording. Just earlier, he signed on with BMG. The major record label picked up his Jatest release, The Message. The North Vancouver: based musician’s 1993 debut disc Nene, an album dedicat- ed to his mother, earned hitn a Juno nomination in the Best Global Recording cate- gory. Futur, released in 1997, got the same nomina- tion and earned the Music Africa Award for National Recording of the Year. The Message, released indepen- SE NORTH Vancouver-based African musician Alpha Yaya Diallo’s The Message won 2 Junc award. dentiy last vear, ultimately convinced the judges. Says Diallo, “That was very good, Before even the Juno [was excited with sign- ing with BMG. Then a week later the Juno came our, I was doing an interview ar CBC. Somebody checked the Internet and said, “You've won for Best Global Reearding.” 1 got very many calls of congratulation from Toronto. The record compa- ny was very happy about signing a CD thar just won a Juno.” Diallo’s deal with BMG is good for four new releases. ‘The suppert he’s now get- ting from a label backing a Juno winner allows hint to concentrate more on the music. Says Diallo, “People get more interested. Many festi- vals have called directly, like the Montreal Jazz festival. That’s one of the festivals J haven’t done yet. PH be doing it this year.” He's also appearing at the Vancouver jazz festival this year and he NEWS phote Brad Ledwidge ith dise has a tentative date for the Winnipeg folk festival. On Wednesday Diallo embarked on a 15-day tour of cities in Canada and the United States. On April 16 he’s at aclub in New York called SOBs, “It's one of the best clubs for world music. I played there a long time ago with Fatala, even before | moved here,” he says. Diallo is originally from Guinea, West Africa, He comes from the northern area of the country. He was born in the capital of Guinea, Conackry, and his family is from Fouta Djallo province. His latest dise touches pon a number of West African music styles — Afro- Cuban rhythms, Senegalese Mbalay and the sound of Cape Verde. Diallo sings his compositions in four lan- guages: Fula, Malinke, Susu and French. Dialfo’s main instrument is guitar, but he alse plavs the balafon (a wooden xylophone) and the drums. The Message also tea- tures Senegalese kora player Boubacar Diabate. ALPHA Yaya Diallo has embarked on a short tour of North America to nromote The Message. Correction notice AN incorrect date for 2 con- cert at Capilano College was printed in Wednesday's paper. The concert for orchestra and two choirs under conduc- noon - 8pm. agale 987-8882 DENTIST ANNOUNCES NEW HOURS (MO [TUE| WE [TH | FR [ SA | wv os, O fe up to on our Art Glass Sample a dost ior Galery urs | 123 W Srd St. N. Van Sandblasted glass, Leaded glase, Fused and B kiln formed glass, Table tops, Sculptures/Object . Dart, Table Omaments, and much t more. rors Clyde Mitchell and Lars Kaario in the campus Performing Arts Centre goes tonight at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m. * Every second Tuesday and every other Saturday is off ** Open 1 monday per month. Firs! work day of the week New patients are welcome 13736 Mount Seymour Parkway (isc) 929-7499 fl REMAINING 98 | and SELECTED '99 VANCOUVER’S PREMIER CYCLING OUTFITTER ba 3026 MOUNTAIN %¢¥, HORTH YAN. 988-1800 - next to Starbucks