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.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• world
• music
• kora
• toumani
• diabate
• WOMAD
• 2008
• Taranaki

[VHalen2112]

What part of the world is this music from?

What is the main featured instrument?

Traditionally, this instrument accompanies people responsible for passing oral

tradition through generations. What are those people called?

[RicdiculousNZ]

@VHalen2112 Hi, Griots from Mali playing a Kora :-)

[Lowklass]

Does someone know if the song played is actually one of his song or just a freestyle?

I would like to know the title if it isn't a freestyle.

Thank you

[RicdiculousNZ]

'Jarabi' is the name, originally performed with collective group Songhai

[RicdiculousNZ]

Seems I can't put a link to another You Tube video? So search for this title...

"Ketama SongHai - Jarabi"

[oolala53]

I'm not a musician, so maybe I am easily impressed. I can hardly believe that someone can get so much music out of an instrument with four digits! I was thinking that the kora sounded a bit like a hammered dulcimer, but you would have to be incredibly fast to get it all in. Love it.

[curlyadam]

whoah whoah whoah. why do they cut it at the end!? it sounds so amazing. i want to hear the rest

[lovelylovely89]

Wonderful

[Cyrannea]

Wooooooooooooooooooooow!!!!! awesome

such great a player!!!!!!!!!!!

[thebookofjoy]

woooooooooooooooooooooow!!!!!

[adjofilm]

Hi. You happen to see here the best and most famous kora player in the world!

Toumani Diabate from Mali.

[ThePablo7y]

no body cant jarabi right only him

[TheHijabfatima]

@VHalen2112 is played in west Africa Mali and Gambia.

[coffeegrains]

Fantastic



[yoyork]

UNREAL!



[obuchiken]

beautiful tuuuuune!

i totally love it!

[iayyam]

@CantaloupeKingMusic two fingers per hand.