Djelimady Tounkara

Djali Madi Tounkara held the position of lead guitarist in the Rail Band across two stretches, first from 1971 to 1979 and again from 1984 onward. His playing proved instrumental in shaping the course of West African music. Celebrated for his distinctive guitar tunings, Tounkara has exerted ongoing influence over the sounds of his home region. Attempts to reach a worldwide audience, however, have repeatedly met with disappointment. Although booked for the sessions that yielded the award-winning Buena Vista Social Club album, he missed the dates because his passport reached him too late.

Tounkara had already appeared with L'Orchestre National 'A' De La Republique Du Mali in the late-'60s before entering the Rail Band in 1971. He remained central to the group’s sonic identity until 1979, the year he and guitarist/vocalist Mory Konte departed to create L'Orchestre Super Rail Band International. The new ensemble released only one album, Affair Social, in 1980.

After rejoining the Rail Band in 1984, Tounkara has stayed active with the outfit, appearing every Saturday night at the Buffet Hotel de la Jare. He has sought out additional settings for his music as well. In 1992 he teamed with Bouba Sacko, guitarist and president of Mali's musicians union, and Lafia Biabate, formerly a singer with the Rail Band, to cut the all-acoustic album Big String Theory.