Mali's Toumani Diabaté Plays 'The Mandé Variations' On The Kora With London Symphony Oct. 29

[Toumani Diabaté: The Mandé Variations]

Today we heard from our friend Bob Shingleton, who writes a leading classical music blog, On An Overgrown Path. He blogs from the United Kingdom, where Black History Month is observed in October: “Hi Bill, interesting news of concerto for kora and symphony orchestra by Malian musican Toumani Diabaté plus more on the kora and Black History Month here. Regards, Bob” 

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Presenting the instrument of the moment
“The euphonius kora is very much the instrument of the moment. Back in May my post about the art and music of the Sahara featured kora player Toumani Diabaté's solo work The Mandé Variations. In an interesting example of world music meeting classical The Mandé Variations have been orchestrated, and Toumani Diabaté is performing them with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic on Oct. 21 and London Symphony Orchestra on Oct. 29.”

Monday, May 26, 2008

The art and music of the Sahara

“The Mandé Variations by Toumani Diabaté; brought up in Bamako, capital of Mali, and son of one of the country's leading griot musicians Toumani Diabaté is one of the best known exponents of the twenty-one string African harp known as the kora. Griot musicians are part of an oral tradition which also includes the storytellers of Morocco who featured in an earlier article here. In recent years Toumani Diabaté has been responsible for the emergence of the kora from ensemble to solo instrument, and this move continues with The Mandé Variations which lay Western pop, Indian classical, flamenco and blues over a foundation of Malian griot music. As a member of the harp family the sound of the kora is not alien to Western ears which means this album is an excellent and accessible introduction to the musical art of the Sahara region.”

Toumani Diabaté
Malian Kora Player
The Mandé Variations
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
London Symphony Orchestra
Black History