Toumani Diabaté~Cantelowes

Toumani Diabaté~Kora
From 'The Mandé Variations'
Paintings and drawing by Alan Ainslie

~Cantelowes~
(Trad kora, sauta tuning)
"I dedicate this one to a friend who
lives on Cantalowes Road in north London,
where I stayed for seven months when I first
came to the UK back in 1987 - in the house I met
my future history, and many great African musicians too,
like Youssou N'dour and Baba Maal.
This has some quotes from my piece Djelika
(including its refernce to the sound track of
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly)
but it's a really a new version of the great love song Jarabi,
which was on my very first album Kaira
that I recorded while staying in Cantelowes Road,
but now it has many new variations,
showing the long journey I've made since then."
Toumani Diabaté

The kora is a West African harp-lute with a deep and delicate sound. It can be played as a solo instrument, accompanying songs or in any musical ensemble. Thanks to the richness of its history and to the great diversity of its performers, it can naturally be associated to any interdisciplinal or cross-cultural project; because of its unique sound qualities and of its specific playing technique, the kora may also be a valious support for meditation and self-awakening.
In the following lines, you will find a historic panorama of the instrument, from its legendary origins to its contemporary fulfillments; you will cross the path of a great King who fought a musician Genius in the middle of a river; of great kora players like Lamine Konte, Foday Musa Suso or Toumani Diabate who spreaded the fame of the African harp across the globe; and of nine French Benedictine monks who sang Gregorian Chants accompanied by two kora players in the Heart of Africa.

Toumani Diabaté is one of the most important musicians in Africa. Toumani plays the kora, a harp unique to West Africa with 21 strings; and more than any other kora player it is Toumani who is responsible for bringing this instrument to audiences around the world. He is a performer of truly exceptional virtuosity and creativity - someone who shows that the kora can rival the world's greatest instruments.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Toumani
• Diabaté
• Kora
• The
• Mandé
• Variations

[mmcoopstar]

Ignore that last comment i have just read all the info and know who the artist it. Its the first time i am hearing the Kora being played, i didnt even know it existed. Its so beautiful even my mum shouted to me from the other room "where is that music coming from"....are there cd's i can buy, i so can see myself chilling out to more of this music.

[Edithalba1844]

This is the superb expression of a deeply humble, spiritual and loving heart! I cannot imagine anything more touching and beautiful than this divine piece of music! Thank you sincerely for sharing this!

[YamahahaNL]

Lovely track!

[acnumber7]

A tribute to Morricone and Sergio Leone movie "The good, the Bad and the Ugly" in the beginning of this song.

[Danny69564838]

if VaC disabler of COD MW2 brought you here thumb up :)

[vulcangascompanytwo]

best thing i heard in 2011 so far!

[meanmarine24]

@jimmyjoeh2o

Absolutely, it sounds 100% like an acoustic guitar version of that theme.

[jimmyjoeh2o]

Does anyone else think the begining sounds a bit like the theme from "Fist full of dollars"? Having said that i would like to add that this music is simply beautiful, wonderful and very moving.

[kipwestus]

a great combination of art and music...love this. nice work,Afriksun.

[kipwestus]

a great combination of art and music...love this.