African Virtuoses

about

The African Virtuoses were a family of guitarists from Guinea in Africa. They were also known as “Virtuoses Diabate”, that featured brothers Sekou “Docteur” Diabete (born in Faranah, 1938), Sire Diabete (born in Danaba, 1947), and Abdoulaye (Diabete born in N’Zerekore, 1953), who moved to Los Angeles in the 1990s. The Diabate brothers are by birth jelis, hereditary professional musicians who trace their lineage back to the founding of the 13th century Mali empire, and are what the early French travelers to the region called griots. The Diabate brothers, however, were not practicing griots in the sense of playing for traditional events and engaging in the art of praise-singing. Their father Sidikiba Diabate (not to be confused with kora player Sidiki Diabate, father of Malian kora player Toumani Diabate) was a renowned musician who pioneered the use of the guitar in Guinea in the 1920s and set the model for them as guitarists. Sidikiba understood how traditional music worked and was entrusted by president Sekou Touré with forming the first national instrumental ensemble of Guinea at the dawn of independence. The Diabate brothers inherited this ancient tradition, normally played on the kora, balafon (xylophone), and koni (lute), but used the guitar as their vehicle of expression and Papa Diabate is largely credited with bringing this tradition into the modern brass orchestras that flourished after independence. The African Virtuoses pulled the electric guitar back into an a

you might also explore

top songs

albums

The Classic Guinean Guitar Group

Nanibali - Balade sur la Lagune (Instrumental Music of Africa)

▥

La Boîte Noire (1975)

▥

African Virtuoses

▥

Radio Nova - 3ème volume - 09

▥

African Virtuoses: The Classic Guinean Guitar Group

▥

Nova Le Grand Mix (Boxset)

▥

La Boîte Noire de Radio Nova 1975

▥

African Pearls Vol 2: Guinee Cultural Revolution

▥

Nova Le Grand Mix cd09

▥

Nova 1975

▥

25 Ans Avant Nova (disc 20: 1975)

similar artists