MAMADOU DIABATE:
Mamadou Diabate is a master of the kora, the ancient 21-string West African harp. He was born in Kita, Mali, a city long known as a center for the arts and culture of the Manding people of West Africa. As his last name indicates, he comes from a family of griots, or jelis as they are known among the Manding, who are traditional historians, genealogists, and story-tellers as well as musicians.
Mamadou’s father taught him to play the kora as a child, and from there he listened and watched, and devoted himself to practicing the instrument. Before long, Mamadou was playing kora for local jeli singers throughout the region at ceremonies such as weddings and baptisms. At sixteen he went to Bamako, where under the tutelage of his famous cousin, Toumani Diabate, he worked the jeli circuit and entertained the powerful at the city's posh Amitié Hotel.
After touring the US in 1996 as part of the Instrumental Ensemble of Mali, Mamadou decided to stay in the US and now calls it home. He performs nationally and internationally as a soloist, as well as leading the Mamadou Diabate Ensemble, which includes himself on kora, Balla Kouyate on balafon, Baye Kouyate on talking drum and calabash, and Noah Jarrett on bass.
Mamadou Diabate has collaborated broadly with jazz musicians from Donald Byrd to Randy Weston, as well as popular figures from Afropop star Angelique Kidjo and Zimbabwean legend Thomas Mapfumo to blues mavericks Taj Mahal and Eric Bibb, and even the jam band Donna the Buffalo. He gets frequent invitations to perform with visiting Malian stars including grand divas such as Ami Koita, Tata Bambo Kouyate, Kandia Kouyate, and Babani Koné.
Since 2000, Mamadou Diabate has released three CDs, one of which, Behmanka (World Village), was nominated for a Grammy in 2005.
ADDITIONAL BIOS:
Eye for Talent , Bio 05/15/07
>> read bio
MAMADOU DIABATE'S WEBSITE:
>> click here
LINKS & STUFF:
MySpace webpage
AREAS OF REPRESENTATION:
Worldwide
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PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE (next 3):
05/09/2008 - Philadelphia, PA
05/16/2008 - Asheville, NC
07/12/2008 - Ohio
view full Performance Schedule
PRESS:
Sing Out, Griot in Your Backyard 06/20/07
>> read review
MetroActive - Silicon Valley, CA, Destiny's Child 11/08/06
>> read review
popmatters.com, Heritage - CD review 01/29/07
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Radio France International, Heritage - CD review 12/03/06
>> read review
Songlines, Heritage - CD Review 06/06/06
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Home Theater and HiFi, Behmanka - CD review 03/15/06
>> read review
various, Press Quotes 01/15/06
>> read review
PHOTOS & MEDIA:
Mamadou Color 38 300dpi
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Mamadou Color 53 300dpi
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Mamadou Color 80 300dpi
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 AUDIO CLIP - Fali
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TECH RIDER:
Mamadou Diabate Tech Rider
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