Madou ~Salif
(Mali/US)
42 strings of trancendental bliss, two koras in the hands of virtuosos
A virtuosic Kora duo presenting ancient songs of praise and remembrance
Bio
An experience of the history, power, magic and guidance of the West African Kora with world renowned 71st-generation virtuoso Madou Sidiki Diabaté, accompanied by his longtime student Salif Bamakora, as the duo explore and interpret the traditional repertoire of
songs and stories of the Djeli, or Griots, the hereditary keepers of knowledge encoded in music. Serving for centuries as advisors, emissaries, oral historians and peacemakers, the Djeli maintain the people's ties to their cultural inheritance and vitality of purpose with a resilient and adaptive cordage of intertwined praise and remembrance. Masterful musicianship combined with glimpses of the rich and storied significance of West Africa's musical memory enlivened and animated by the harp strings of an ancient tradition still blossoming in the 21st century. Furthering the legacy of the late Toumani Diabaté, his younger brother Madou along with his protégé Salif create transcendental music with no boundaries.
Managed and produced by Ankur Malhotra (Aural Grooves, Madison Music Review, formerly with Amarrass Records)
"Madou Sidiki Diabate.. sounds not of this world at all. His rippling, harp-like arpeggios and dizzyingly complex interlocking melodies seem to descend on warm wings from a yearning heaven of billowing, fragrant heat." - Daniel Spicer, The Wire (Jan 2015/Issue 371)
AUDIO (First album in the works, stay tuned :)
Featuring the kora duo of Madou Sidiki Diabaté and Salif Bamakora, an exploration and invocation of songs of praise and remembrance. Music that transcends boundaries of space and time, a magical tapestry of strings weaving sound spaces. Meanwhile, here are some stellar recordings of Madou Sidiki Diabaté including 'Live in India' (2012, Amarrass Records)
VIDEOS
A selection of videos from live performances in from the US (2023-24)