- Toumani Diabaté
Infobox Musical artist
Name = Toumani Diabaté
Img_capt = Toumani Diabaté performing at Afrofest 2007 in Toronto, Ontario
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Background = solo_singer
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Born = birth date and age|1965|8|10
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Origin =Mali
Instrument = Kora
Genre =World music
Occupation =Musician
Years_active = 1987–present
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URL = [http://www.worldcircuit.co.uk/#Toumani_Diabate worldcircuit.co.uk/#Toumani_Diabate]
Notable_instruments = KoraToumani Diabaté (born
August 10 1965 ) is aMali an kora player who has gained international acclaim for his music. He is a versatile performer, being equally at home with the traditionalmusic of Mali as well as with cross-cultural collaborations withflamenco ,blues ,jazz , and other international styles.Biography
Diabaté comes from a long family tradition of kora players including his father,
Sidiki Diabaté , who recorded the first ever kora album in 1970. His cousinMaya Jobarteh is a premiere female diaspora kora player.In 1987 Diabaté released his first album in the West, a solo album entitled "Kaira", recorded in one afternoon in
London and produced byLucy Duran . The album, featuring just Diabaté and his kora, is still considered one of the finest examples of solo kora.In addition to performing Malian traditional music, Diabaté has also performed and recorded in cross-cultural settings. He has collaborated with
flamenco group Ketama, forming a combined group known as Songhai and releasing two recordings: "Songhai I" and "Songhai II". He also released a memorable album with "Kulanjan", bridging the gap between African andAfrican-American music in collaboration with the Americanblues musician Taj Mahal. His "MALIcool" is another, more unusual but nevertheless successful, collaboration with the American jazz trombonistRoswell Rudd . He also collaborated with theIceland ic popular musicianBjörk on her 2007 album "Volta".In 1999 Diabaté released the album "
New Ancient Strings ", a collaboration withBallake Sissoko and in September 2005, he released "In the Heart of the Moon ", for which he collaborated with the lateAli Farka Touré , his mentor. The album went on to win the 2006Grammy Award for Best Traditional World Music Album. OnJuly 25 ,2006 he released his latest album "Boulevard de l'Independence," recorded with his Symmetric Orchestra. "In the Heart of the Moon" and "Boulevard de l'Independence", are both part of the Hotel Mandé Sessions, recorded byNick Gold and released onWorld Circuit . Both "Boulevard" and "Hotel Mandé" are references to landmarks in Mali's capital city,Bamako .The Symmetric Orchestra led by Toumani Diabaté is composed of musicians (mostly
griots [http://www.rfimusique.com/musiqueen/articles/076/article_7719.asp Album review and interview with Toumani Diabaté] "RFI Musique"April 7 ,2006 . AccessedJune 25 ,2007 ] ) from the across the oldMande Empire ofwest Africa , who play a mix of traditional instruments including the kora,djembe ,balafon andbolombatto , as well as modern ones like theguitar andelectronic keyboard .Diabaté appeared in 2006 at the WOMAD Festival UK,
Roskilde Festival inDenmark , and at theSziget Festival inBudapest ,Hungary . In 2007 he performed at theGlastonbury Festival and toured theU.S.A. . In 2008, he was atWOMADelaide (inAdelaide, South Australia ). [ [http://www.womadelaide.com.au/line_up/artists_az/toumani.html WOMADelaide] , site accessed 11 March 2008] In early 2008, Diabaté released his new album of solo Kora music,The Mande Variations , to widespread critical acclaim. Many reviewers praised the album for its detailed recording of the Kora and careful mastering, in addition to the improvisational skills and wide range of apparent influences displayed on the album. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/release/d5xm/ World Review - Toumani Diabaté, Mandé Variations] , BBC.]Documentary films about Toumani Diabaté
* "Bamako Is a Miracle" by
Maurice Engler ,Arnaud Robert andSamuel Chalard (Afro Blue, Geneva 2003).
* "Toumani Diabaté - Koraklänge aus dem Land der Flusspferde" byMartina Pfaff (WDR, Cologne 2007).Discography
* 1988 - "Kaira"
* 1995 - "Djelika"
* 1999 - "New Ancient Strings" (withBallake Sissoko )
* 1999 - "Kulanjan" (with Taj Mahal)
* 2001 - "Jarabi"
* 2005 - "In the Heart of the Moon " (withAli Farka Touré )
* 2006 - "Boulevard de l'Independance"
* 2008 - "The Mandé Variations "References
External links
* [http://www.worldcircuit.co.uk/#Toumani_Diabate Toumani Diabaté] official website
* [http://www.worldcircuit.co.uk/#Toumani_Diabate::Biography Official Toumani Diabaté biography]
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* [http://www.worldcircuit.co.uk/#Toumani_Diabate::Boulevard_de_lIndependance Watch official making of "Boulevard de L'Independance" short documentary]
* [http://www.worldcircuit.co.uk/#Toumani_Diabate::In_the_Heart_of_the_Moon Watch official making of "In the Heart of the Moon" short documentary]
* [http://tpitman.blogspot.com/2007/08/kora-star.html The Kora Star]
* [http://www.fly.co.uk/fly/archives/2006/04/where_is_toumani_diabate_toumani_has_arrived.html Fly Global Music Culture: Interview: Toumani Diabaté]
* [http://www.afropop.org/explore/photoFeature.php?ID=11 Afropop Worldwide Slideshow of Toumani Diabate Performing Live in Brooklyn, July 2007]
* [http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/stores/artist/glance/-/36366 Amazon.com: A Glance: Toumani Diabaté]
* [http://www.coraconnection.com/pages/Toumani.html Info on the kora & Toumani Diabaté]
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