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A Text of Catherine François
When he arrived in Montreal in 1974, Lamine Touré came from his native Guinea where he was a dancer and choreographer of the Ballets africains de Guinée.
Bearer of a cultural background rich, he wants to discover it to Quebecers. In 1976, he opened a first bar, Café Créole, which soon became a place to discover African music, but above all a place of rendezvous for the African diaspora.
Legend has it that taxi drivers filed directly Creole coffee Africans freshly landed in Montreal. The Creole Café will be the African hideout until 1981.
It was five years later, in 1986, that Lamine Touré opened the Balattou on Saint-Laurent Boulevard, the "Main" of Montreal.
"I called him Bal at all, ball for everyone, that's the Balattou: it's for everyone," he recalls.
The Balattou is immediately very successful: there is the African diaspora, but also many Quebecers eager to discover this music from Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America too.
Year after years, the Balattou became an institution of Montreal nights.
A passion: African culture
Lamine Touré wanted to go even further to discover the culture of his continent.
He therefore founded in July 1987, the International Festival Nights of Africa and, a few months later, Nuits d'Afrique productions have become formidable instruments for the promotion of African and Caribbean artists, even from Latin America.
"Any artist who comes from Africa or the Caribbean, one is the first to discover it in Montreal, "says Lamine Touré.
Lamine Toure also makes it a point of honor to take under her wing artists from Quebec, African, Caribbean or Latin American to discover them Montreal audience.
"It's a very precious help he brings us to make us known in Canada and outside Canada, "says Zal Sissokho, a kora player of Guinean origin.
" I can say that I am a child, an artist born by Touré, born in Balattou , born at Night s of Africa, grown at the Nuits d'Afrique, "adds the griotte Djely Tapa.
A musical encyclopedia
Gatherer, humanist," a monument ": as many qualifiers that are used to portray Lamine Touré. [19659003"IwouldsayratherthathehasinstalledAfricainMontrealinCanadainNorthAmericaIt'slikeatreethathasbeenplantedthatgrowsandgrowsagainandstillmakeslotsofbrancheseverywhere"saysTapa
M. Touré has also received several awards and honors for his contribution to the cultural scenes of Quebec and Canada. After becoming a member of the Order of Quebec in 2013, he received the medal of the National Assembly of Quebec in 2017, and was made a member of the Order of Canada on July 1.
"C" is someone who has traveled a lot, who has an open mind, who likes to share his knowledge, and that's what feeds him, estimates for its part Suzanne Rousseau, General Manager of the Festival and who has been with him for 32 years . He is a visionary, he is like an old African sage.
Despite all these honors, the man remains modest and humble: always very discreet and withdrawn behind the artist he puts on the stage.
"I created this to make known the African culture and Caribbean, but the stars, it's them, not me. They are the ones who are ahead, I am behind, "he says.
Realizing his dream [19659011LamineTourenowwantstorealizeadream:tosetupafestivalonthesameprincipleasthatofMontrealinthecountriesofFrench-speakingAfrica
"Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast to start … Really, it's my dream, "he says.
And to make this dream come true, Lamine Touré is looking for a reliable partner in Africa. He says he has already discussed this project with Youssou N'Dour, Alpha Blondy and Salif Keita.
The baobab of Montreal could well resume its roots in Africa.
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