Filed under: Guinea
♬ Sibida
On 28 September 1958, the French government held a referendum on a new constitution. The colonies of the French colonial empire – except Algeria, which was legally a direct part of France – were given the choice between immediate independence or retaining their colonial status. Guinea chose independence, the only colony to do so. Thus, Guinea became the first French African colony to gain independence, on October 2nd 1958.
The first state orchestra to form after the country’s independence was Orchestré de la Garde Républicaine. Under the new government’s Authenticité policy, the group was “instructed to drop their European march tunes for music befitting the new nation”. The orchestra eventually split into two groups – Orchestré de la Garde Républicaine 1ère and Orchestré de la Garde Républicaine 2ème – whose only recorded output was a split album released in 1967. Orchestré de la Garde Républicaine 1ère later changed their name to Super Boiro Band.
The band took their name from the Camp Boiro prison, where may of the members had been guards. Members of the band included trumpeter and manger Mamadou Niaissa, vocalist Sane Camara and guitarists Karan Mady Diawara and Mamady Kouyaté. Mamady Kouyaté would later go on to resurrect Bembeya Jazz in the 1990s, and recently he formed Mamady Kouyaté & The Ambassadors.
Super Boiro Band’s first album was released in 1972, and their first single was released the following year. They released two more singles as well as their second album in 1975, and one more album in 1976 as well as appearing on the compilations Discothèque 73, Discothèque 74 and Discothèque 75. The band later changed their name to Super Flambeau, but never released any recordings. The single featured here was the last single that Syliphone released.
Catalog number SYL 574 on Editions Syliphone Conakry of Guinea, released 1975.
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Radiodiffusion Internasionaal Annexe 
Hello! I’m a big fan of Super Boiro, and Syliphone 45s in general. Is there any chance of hearing the b-side of your platter? I’ve posted singles comps of Balladins and Kaloum Star @ Lucky Psychic Hut, and am preparing one on Keletigui if you’re interested. THANKS for all the great stuff I owe you for!
Comment by reservatory November 26, 2009 @ 2:50 pm