Sona Jobarteh, the first female kora virtuosa from a legendary jali (griot) family is set to perform at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro, North Caroilina. Sona…
Gambian Kora Pioneer and Griot Sona Jobarteh to Perform at The ArtsCenter
Tag: Gambian music
Artist Profiles: Sherrifo Konteh
Sherrifo Konteh is the son of Alhaji Bai Konte and the brother of Dembo Konte, Sherrifo learned from both and has become an outstanding musician…
Artist Profiles: Seikou Susso
Seikou was born in 1964 in Sukuta Nanie in The Gambia. He is directly descended from a long line of jalis. As a boy he…
Artist Profiles: Salieu Suso
Born into a family of traditional African jalis (musician-historians), Salieu Suso began training on the 21-stringed kora at the age of 8, and began his…
Artist Profiles: Papa Susso
Papa Susso is a master kora (African harp/lute) player and jali (oral historian, also known as griot) from The Gambia, West Africa. He hails from…
Artist Profiles: Malamini Jobarteh
Malamini Jobarteh was a jali and one of Gambia’s greatest musical and cultural icons. In the late 1970s Alhaji Bai Konte and Malamini Jobarteh toured…
Artist Profiles: Ifang Bondi
For more than twenty years the Gambian roots band Ifang Bondi (‘be yourself’) had a leading role within West African popular music. It was one…
Artist Profiles: Amadu Bansang Jobarteh
Amadu Bansang Jobarteh (kora, voice) was a jali: an oral historian and hereditary praise singer from among the Mandinka people of Gambia, West Africa. Amadu’s…
Artist Profiles: Sona Jobarteh
Maya Sona Jobarteh was born in London in 1983. She is the first professional female kora player. Sona is part of the Jobarteh/Diabaté family of…
Kora Delight
Dawda Jobarteh – Transitional Times (Sterns Music, 2016) All too often kora music evokes the image of lacy traditional African tunes that fall into the…