Word music

Toumani Diabaté in concert


The music of the greatest virtuoso of the traditional Malian harp, the kora, is nothing short of revelational. But what does “revelational” mean here? It means discovering the staggering wealth of sounds encompassed by the musical tradition of one of the world’s poorest countries; it means marveling at its ability to incorporate musical references from blues, jazz, rock, Soul, West African traditions… But when Toumani Diabate’s fingers begin to glide over the strings of his harp, when his fellow musicians add their own accompaniments to his melodic tales, discovery and revelation are transformed into authentic experience.