Djimo Kouyate, a jali, oral historian and 149th generation of the Kouyate family of jali, historians and musicians, died in Washington, DC, on August 1. He was 57.
An outstanding musician and singer as well as a warm and generous individual, Kouyate introduced many people to the regal beauty of the music and histories maintained by the jalis of west Africa.
Since moving to Washington, DC, in 1983, he co-founded and directed Memory of African Culture, Inc., a cultural arts and education organization. Kouyate led Mamaya African Jazz ensemble and served as an Adjunct Lecturer of African Music and Ethnomusicology at the University of Maryland. He performed at festivals and events throughout the U.S. and toured with the National Council for Traditional Arts’ “Echoes of Africa” tour.
In his native Senegal, Kouyate served the Cultural Ministry of Senegal for twenty years as a founding member of the
National Ballet du Senegal, and as instructor of kora music at L’Institute National des Arts.
[Obituary courtesy of the Folk Alliance].
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.