Originally called Les Freres Diabate (The Diabate Brothers), the African Virtuoses were essentially a family band. But the Diabates were no ordinary family. For generations the Diabate clan has been esteemed in Guinea as the pre-eminent dynasty of string players.
At one time or another the African Virtuoses included four Diabate brothers playing acoustic guitars along with another guitarist or two, a kora player and one or two percussionists. Their style was rooted in traditional Mande music for stringed instruments, but displayed their knowledge and love of Arabic taqasim, Spanish flamenco and even French jazz manouche.
The Classic Guinean Guitar Group is a compilation of recordings that Les Freres Diabate/African Virtuoses made in Conakry and Abidjan in the 1970s and 1980s. In the decades since, these recordings have earned an exalted reputation among guitar aficionados both for their musical excellence and for their rarity.
Discography:
The Classic Guinean Guitar Group (Sterns Africa STCD3024)
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.