Prince Diabate August 10, 2006

FREE CONCERT

Prince Diabaté hails from a prominent, Malinké family from Guinea, West Africa. He learned his art from his father, Djéli Sori Diabaté. Breaking with tradition, his father also taught Prince's mother, Hadja Djéli Sira Cissoko, to play kora. The young boy became an exceptionally early starter by accompanying his parents to their concerts throughout West Africa. Despite his father's disapproval, he decided to make music his life. When he was eight years old, former Guinean President, Sekou Touré, came to his home town, Kindia, for a celebration in Independence Square. Braving the outraged soldiers and his own fear, the young musician grasped his kora, threw himself at the President's feet and played a special song for him. Greatly touched by his skill and audacity, Sekou Touré became his benefactor, enrolling him into the National Children's Theatre in Conakry. At sixteen years of age, he won first prize in an international kora competition in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and acquired his nickname, 'Prince Diabaté, Prince of the Kora.'


In 1986 he met the singer, Amara Sanoh, and the two started to perform together. They disbanded in 1998. A world class musician, Prince Diabaté has toured in Africa, Europe, Canada and the US, developing a distinctive style, characterised by a lightning-quick, percussive technique coupled with a dynamic stage presence. He has released two CDs: Lamaranaa (Buda Musique/Allegro) in 1993, awarded a four star rating, and New Life (Sunrise Records/Orchard) in 2001, which features guest artists Michael Brook and Hassan Hakmoun.

Considered to be one of the leading kora players of his generation, Prince Diabaté brings not only total mastery over his ancestral tradition, but a commitment to renew it through fresh ideas and exchanges with musicians from many cultures. His collaborations have included artists and groups as diverse as The New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Adam del Monte (Flamenco) Hassan Hakmoun (Gnawa) and Grammy winners Michael Brook (guitarist-producer-composer) and Ozomatli (Hip-Hop fusion.)

Moving easily between the traditions of Manden music and modern fusion, Prince Diabaté has incorporated reggae, rap and blues into his work punctuated by the occasional, funky use of the wah-wah pedal. Recently, he has adapted the music of the Wassolou to his repertoire, which he plays, self-taught and kora-style, on the kamelen n'goni. The result is entirely his own: a fresh, powerful brand of twenty-first century Manden music, which remains strongly rooted in traditional codes and references.

Prince Diabaté is currently resident in Los Angeles, where he performs with his fusion and traditional ensembles, returning frequently to Guinea. His work has attracted grants from Arts International; Alliance for California Traditional Arts; Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department and the Durfee Foundation.

In 2000, he was creative consultant and lead performer on an IBM commercial for the Olympic Games in Sydney. In 2001, he recorded with Ozomatli on Embrace The Chaos, their Grammy-winning CD. In 2002, he was a nominee for the LA Weekly Music Awards and the New Times Music Awards. He is also a finalist in the International Acoustic Music Awards for 2004; the International Songwriting Contest for 2004 and 2005, and is a first place winner in the 2005 and 2006 Pacific Songwriting Competition.

Prince Diabate spent the winter of 2005-2006 in Conakry,Guinea where he recorded his new semi-acoustic album,entitled DJERELON. The US release date was May 6, 2006. Kante Manfila, longtime collaborator of Salif Keita, is the arranger and producer.

Official Website: http://www.levittpavilionpasadena.org/world064.htm