Amadou "Accordéon" Barry is a Guinean artist born in 1962 in Dalaba (Mombéya) in the district of Dougaya. An instrumentalist, author, singer, and composer, he has become an emblematic figure of traditional Fulani music in Guinea. Without a French school education but educated in Quranic school, his journey led him from agricultural work to a brilliant musical career.
A master of the accordion, which he learned from Master Touré between 1977 and 1980, he founded his own group "Kassagui Jazz" and has produced 13 albums (3 traditional and 9 traditional-modern). His talent earned him the crown of "National Hit Parade No. 1" for several months, surpassing renowned Guinean artists. Married to three wives and father of twelve children, Amadou Barry embodies the success of a self-taught musician from rural origins who revolutionized Fulani pastoral music while maintaining his humility despite celebrity.
Introduction
Born in 1962 in Dalaba (Mombeya) in the Dougaya district of Guinea, Amadou Barry, better known as "Accordion," is an emblematic figure of traditional Guinean music. The son of Mohamed and Nènè Koumba Dyouma Kéita, he represents the perfect example of a self-taught talent from a rural background who established himself on the national music scene.
From Fields to Music Stage
Unlike many artists, Amadou Barry's journey didn't begin in French schools but rather at Quranic school where he mastered the Quran perfectly. His grandparents then directed him toward agricultural work, an activity in which he excelled at plowing, cultivating, and protecting fields from pests.
During his youth, he discovered traditional music at evening gatherings organized by "Nyamakala" (griots) from neighboring villages. These gatherings, initially in the form of drum-based performances, gradually evolved into "dust balls" where accordion, flute (Tunnè), and castanets enriched the compositions.
Learning the Accordion
His musical journey began with handmade castanets crafted from condensed milk cans. But it was in Séfouré, in the Kankalabé region, that his life took a decisive turn when he witnessed a performance by Master Samba Diouldé, one of the accordion pioneers in Fouta.
Between 1977 and 1980, he became the apprentice of Master Touré, a disciple of Samba Diouldé. After three years of learning, he acquired his first accordion in Sierra Leone for seven pounds sterling and formed his own group "Kassagui Jazz," named after a stream between Mombeya and Dougaya, drawing inspiration from the nomenclature of national orchestras like Bembeya Jazz.
Flourishing Career
His professional career truly began in 1986 during a trip to Liberia, where he recorded his first cassette "Oumou Singa." Although this first experience brought him nothing financially, his perseverance led him to produce a second cassette that allowed him to acquire a Yamaha motorcycle and two bicycles for his musicians.
Over the years, Amadou "Accordion" Barry established himself as a reference in Fulani pastoral music with 13 albums to his credit, including 3 purely traditional and 9 traditional-modern. His talent earned him the crown of "National Hit-parade No. 1" for several months by the late journalist Aly Badara Diakité, surpassing renowned artists like Sékouba Bambino and Kerfalla Kanté.
The Man Behind the Artist
Married to three wives and father of twelve children (seven boys and five girls), Amadou Barry defines wealth as "everything you possess through honesty" and claims to be rich thanks to his good health. Despite his success, he remained humble and never surrendered to extravagance.
Although recognized for his exceptional voice rather than his dancing abilities, he explains this limitation by the physical constraints imposed by his instrument: "I am held back by straps on my back and by the volume of the instrument in front, which restricts my movements."
Amadou "Accordion" Barry continues to be a source of inspiration for new generations of Guinean artists, proving that talent, perseverance, and authenticity can transcend modest origins to reach the heights of artistic recognition.
