Toumani Diabaté

Scion of a long generational line of Malian musical griots, Toumani Diabaté was a master of the kora, the 21-string lute-like instrument native to West Africa. Equally at home with Malian traditions as well as in association with musicians of diverse cultural backgrounds, Diabaté came to worldwide attention through a series of acclaimed solo albums and collaborations. A self-taught prodigy, he absorbed the sounds of his legendary musician father Sidiki Diabaté and the Western-influenced Bamako ensembles of the 1970s. His 1988 debut Kaira sealed Diabaté's reputation as an inter...