 | Kora Playing by TOUMANI DIABATE & THE SYMMETRIC ORCHESTRA TOUMANI DIABATE & THE SYMMETRIC ORCHESTRA Kora lessons from the master, recorded live at WOMAD 2008, Taranaki, New Zealand A kora is built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator, and has a notched bridge like a lute or guitar. The sound of a kora resembles that of a harp, though when played in the traditional style, it bears a closer resemblance to flamenco guitar techniques. The player uses only the thumb and index finger of both hands to pluck the strings in polyrhythmic patterns (using the remaining fingers to hold the sticks either side of the strings and secure the instrument). Ostinato riffs ("Kumbeng") and improvised solo runs ("Biriminting") are played at the same time by skilled players. Kora players have traditionally come from griot families (also from the mandinka tribes) who are traditional historians, genealogists and storytellers who pass their skills on to their descendants. The instrument is played in Mali, Guinea, Senegal, and The Gambia. A traditional kora player is called a Jali, similar to a 'bard' or oral historian. Traditional koras feature 21 strings, eleven played by the left hand and ten by the right. Modern koras made in the Casamance region of southern Senegal sometimes feature additional bass strings, adding up to four strings to the traditional 21. Strings were traditionally made from thin strips of hide, for example antelope skin - now most strings are made from harp strings or nylon fishing line, sometimes plaited together to create thicker strings. By moving leather tuning rings up and down the neck, a kora player can retune the instrument into one of four seven-note scales. These scales are close in tuning to western Major, Minor and Lydian modes. |
 | Toumani Diabate 'Cantelowes' This performance of 'Cantelowes' is from the recent live World Premiere of "The Mandé Variations" at the prestigious El Real Alcazar de Sevilla in Spain which left the audience spellbound and was described by the The Independent as "a performance that surpasses anything....for sheer scale of ambition and technical achievement." |
 | Ketama SongHai - Jarabi Ketama/SongHai in a legendary documantary with Danny Tompson, Toumani Diabate and Ketama |
 | Toumani Diabate plays the Kora Clip from the "Toumani Diabate's Symetric Orchestra"'s DVD. |
 | Toumani Diabate 'The Mande Variations' Toumani Diabaté is one of Africa's greatest musicians. Now the Malian kora master releases his first solo album in 20 years. Featuring visionary interpretations of classic themes alongside ground-breaking improvised pieces, 'The Mandé Variations' is probably the most ambitious and challenging African instrumental album yet released. It is at once the definitive statement on where the kora is today and simply one of the most beautiful and melodically accessible albums you will hear this year. An important album for Africa, an important album for the world. |
 | Toumani Diabate @ Metrotech Brooklyn For pictures click here: http://www.nycsummerblog.com/?p=45 Toumani Diabate performing at Metrotech, Brooklyn on July 19th, 2007. |
 | Ketama SongHai - Mani mani kuru Ketama/SongHai in a legendary documantary with Danny Tompson, Toumani Diabate and Ketama |
 | Kora - Idrissa Cissoko Kora player festival memoire et racine Joliette |
 | Toumani Diabate Solo on the Kora Toumani Diabate Solo on the Kora at the Dakota Jazz club in Minneapolis. January 28, 2008 |
 | Toumani Diabate/Baaba Maal Glastonbury2007 Thanks to Toumanie from Fily&Christine. Baaba Maal thanks Toumani Diabate for bringing African music to Glastonbury & supporting musicians resident here with an impromtu invitation to Jali Fily Cissokho to join him on stage. Film:ChristineLord/KAIRA-ARTS www.kaira-arts.co.uk |
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