Toumani Diabaté

Bio

Toumani Diabaté (1965–2024) was a Malian kora virtuoso and one of the foremost exponents of West African griot music. Born into a celebrated lineage of kora players in Bamako, he began performing as a child and released his debut solo album, Kaira, in 1988. Throughout his career Diabaté collaborated with musicians across genres—from Malian stars such as Bassekou Kouyaté to Western artists including Damon Albarn and Björk—while leading the Symmetric Orchestra and the Symmetric Trio. His recordings, including the Grammy-winning collaborations with Ali Farka Touré, helped bring the kora to global audiences while preserving its traditional repertoire.