Smithsonian Folkways has announced the reissue of the album Gambian Griot Kora Duets on vinyl and digital. Originally released in 1979, the album highlighted Gambian…
Smithsonian Folkways to Reissue Gambian Griot Kora Duets
Tag: kora
Artist Profiles: Seckou Keita
Seckou Keita was born in 1977 in the green region of Casamance (south of Senegal). He is a descendant of the Keita family of Kings…
Sunujazz, a Delightful Encounter Between West Africa and West
Lamine Cissokho – Sunujazz (Sewa Music, 2019) Senegalese kora player Lamine Cissokho mixes traditional sounds from West Africa with jazz and contemporary influences on Sunujazz.…
Artist Profiles: Djimo Kouyate
Djimo Kouyate (kora, voice) was from the Malinke ethnic group, a sub-group of the Manding people. Born in Tamba Counda, Senegal, he was part of…
Delicately-crafted Contemporary and Traditional Visions of the Kora
Dawda Jobarteh – I Met Her By The River (Sterns Africa, 2019) Denmark-based Gambian kora maestro Dawda Jobarteh showcases the many faces of the kora…
Gambian Kora Pioneer and Griot Sona Jobarteh to Perform at The ArtsCenter
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…
Artist Profiles: Yacouba Sissoko
Yacouba Sissoko is a master kora player from the jeli tradition. He was born in Kita, Mali. His grandfather, Samakoun Tounkara, began teaching Yacouba when…
Artist Profiles: Madina N’Diaye
Led by her love for Manding tunes, Madina N’Diaye was the only Malian woman on stage accompanied by a kora, one of the most emblematic…
Artist Profiles: Ballake Sissoko
The sound of Ballake Sissoko’s 21-string kora identifies him, along with Toumani Diabate, as one of the best kora players of a new generation of…
Artist Profiles: Balla Tounkara
Balla Tounkara is a jeli (also known as griot by westerners) and master kora player from Mali, West Africa. He and his band, Groupe Spirit,…