Aminata was born in Guinea by a Senegalese family. She discovered the European classical music from the nuns in Dakar, Senegal. At twelve years of age, she heard a blackjazz pianist and from that day, piano became the thing she really wanted to do.
It was difficult to convince her parents who wanted her to be a medical doctor like her father. She was still able to take piano classes after school. After she completed high school, she went to Paris to study architecture and at the same time she attended the conservatory of music in Paris and learned piano, singing. At the time, she was the only African woman to study harmony, solfeggio and opera. Her studies lasted five years in addition to serious classical studies and private jazz courses for pleasure. Music was her passion and her obsession...until her profession, began. She was inspired some of music world's greatest, Monk, Miles Davis and John Coltrane.
With two diplomas in her pockets, her professional life started in Europe about ten years ago. During her tours, she captures and impresses her audiences and reporters due to her radical hairstyle and dressing. Paco Rabanne, the Parisian designer, made her one ofhis top models.
Aminata goes on tour allover the world. She interprets standards of jazz and her own compositions. She sings and dances African rhythms. She created her own band: XALIS, which means silver in Wolof (a Senegalese language). She is surrounded by XALIS, a group composed of excellent musicians (bass, drums, keyboards, percussions, saxophone).
Aminata sings in Wolof, Bambara, English and French. She accompanies herself with the piano and she is also an excellent dancer. She sings barefoot, bending over a piano, on which her fingers are nimbly gracefully flying over. The notes melt on abrupt chords and then rises a waml, moving melodious voice. Aminata' s strong voice, this rich music takes its roots in the West African culture, particularly in Senegal.
Aminata uses the rhythms of pure traditional music, that express her experience with the African culture, modifies them and associates them with other influences by integrating them in her own musical universe. Aminata's music is truly world music.
Slim and petite, she nevertheless carries an uncommon strength. Today Aminata is still working hard. She tours, and when she is not, gives piano and dance lessons in Paris.
Aminata has single handedly produced a record that was distributed and sold out in Europe by Carrere.
Aminata is now looking for challenges in the U.S.A...the country of her favorite jazz musicians, the people she always looked up to.


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