Toumani Diabaté

Toumani Diabaté was a Malian kora player and griot musician known for virtuosic technique and for bringing the kora into cross-genre collaborations. His playing features cascading harp-like arpeggios, interlocking rhythms and melodic ornamentation rooted in the West African griot tradition; across his career he worked with a range of ensembles and musicians, connecting traditional Malian repertoire with jazz, classical and other global styles. He died in 2024.