Toumani Diabaté

'On a par with Glenn Gould or Rostropovich—the sort of musician you only encounter once or twice in a lifetime.' - BBC Radio 3

Virtuoso musician Toumani Diabaté channels equal parts Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix and ancient griot tradition. Celebrated as one of Africa’s most gifted musicians, Diabaté’s recording career spans more than 20 years, and includes the Grammy winning album In the Heart of the Moon, recorded with the great Ali Farka Touré.

More than any other player, Diabaté is responsible for bringing the sounds of the kora, a traditional West African 21-string harp, to audiences around the world. He has collaborated across the musical spectrum with artists including jazz trombonist and composer Roswell Rudd, blues legend Taj Mahal, singer-songwriter/producer Damon Albarn and Icelandic pop icon Björk.

At the State Theatre, Diabaté and his six-piece band perform the Australian premiere of his Grammy nominated album The Mandé Variations exclusively in Sydney. This special concert will feature visionary interpretations of traditional kora music alongside ground-breaking improvised  pieces, drawing on Western influences including jazz, blues and flamenco. For a high energy concert, head to Riverside Theatre in Parramatta for a night with Diabaté and his much-loved Symmetric Orchestra, in a super-charged celebration of Mali music.

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