Another musician from the Gambia winds up our look at "updated" kora music. Unlike the two previous artists featured here, I was able to find out a fair bit about Mr. Jaliba Kuyateh, who is called "The Cultural Ambassador of the Gambia."He has been playing the kora since the age of five and has been performing with his group, the Kumarehs, since the early '90s. They have toured the United States as well as throughout Europe.
Like the music of Ebrima Tata Jobateh, Kuyateh's sound combines vigorous kora playing with a full array of electric instruments and drum kit as well as local percussion. The cassette Hera Bangku (Kerewan Sounds, 1995) is an excellent introduction to his music. Enjoy!
Jaliba Kuyateh & the Kumarehs - Hera Bangku
Jaliba Kuyateh & the Kumarehs - Sherifolu
Jaliba Kuyateh & the Kumarehs - Julu-Jo
Jaliba Kuyateh & the Kumarehs - Fitna
Jaliba Kuyateh & the Kumarehs - Kebalang Camara
Jaliba Kuyateh & the Kumarehs - Nyananding
Download Hera Bangku as a zipped file here. More music by Jaliba Kuyateh is available here.
I wish you a Happy New Year for you and for your family....
ReplyDeleteMany thanks for all your wonderful posts...
All the best!!!
Kostas from Greece.
good job, thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this little blast of Gambia!
ReplyDeleteI've got fond feelings for this country, and hung out with all these folks while there.
and your blog in general is awesome!
this is high powered music. thank u for what u do. from a diasporan african. this blog is pretty much vital to me. i cant say enough about it.
ReplyDeleteThank you - I hadn't 'heard' the sort of Mali-Senegal crossover in Gambian music which this represents before this one, and that's impressive kora playing too. Terrific!
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