Photo of PRINCE DIABATE

PRINCE DIABATE

PRINCE DIABATE Radio

Music

FEATURED SONG
Djerelon CLIP
  1. Play
  2. Play Next
  3. Add to queue
Djerelon CLIP
Album:
Released: May 6, 2006
Label:

General Info

  • Genre: Acoustic / Afro-beat / Roots Music

    Location USA, Guinea, France, Un

    Profile Views: 39559

    Last Login: 11/21/2012

    Member Since 9/9/2006

    Website princediabate.com

    Record Label Kora Company Collection

    Type of Label Indie

  • Bio

    VERSION FRANCAISE .......... Prince Diabaté, joueur de kora, chanteur, compositeur de Guinée, Conakry, est connu comme l'un des pionniers de la kora "alternative" grâce à un parcours musical riche et singulier. Issu d'une grande famille de griots malinké de la Guinée, Conakry. Prince Diabaté, a commencé son apprentissage à la kora dès l'âge de 5 ans auprès de son père, Djeli Sory Diabaté . Rompant avec la tradition, son père avait également enseigné la mère de Prince, Hadja Djeli Sira Cissoko, à jouer à la kora et le petit Diabaté est devenu apprenti exceptionnellement précoce en accompagnant ses parents à leurs concerts à travers l'Afrique de l'Ouest. Mais Djeli Sory ne voulait pas que son fils cadet soit musicien comme lui; il aurait préféré qu'il fasse ses études, qu'il apprenne un métier. Alors le jeune fonceur a été obligé d'apprendre à jouer à la kora en secret. Donc, à l'âge tendre de 9 ans, prenant son destin musical en main, le jeune virtuose a attiré l'attention de l'ancien Président, Ahmed Sékou Touré, qui a amené son protégé lui-même à la capitale, Conakry, pour l'inscrire au Théâtre National d'Enfants........... Suite à sa formation, Prince Diabate avait à peine 16 ans quand il se trouvait "en aventure" à Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Invité à se présenter au Concours International de Kora, et inspiré d'une vidéo-cassette de Jimi Hendrix qu'il avait découvert, il remporta le premier prix du concours et devenu, ce jour, « PRINCE DIABATE, PRINCE DE LA KORA » ........Ce concours fit basculer sa carrière car, désormais, il acquiert le surnom "Jimi Hendrix de la Kora"autant pour sa technique élaborée qui fait de son instrument à la fois une basse, une percussion, une harpe, que pour la relation particulière entre lui et sa kora.......... En 1986 Prince Diabate a formé un duo avec le chanteur guinéen, Amara Sanoh, et ils ont commencé à se produire un peu partout en gagnant de nombreux prix, dont notamment "Découvertes 90," sponsorisé par Radio France Internationale. En 1993 ils sortent un album intitulé "LAMARANAA," enregistré à Paris chez Buda Musique. Le succès de ce disque impose Prince Diabaté comme l'un des joueurs de kora le plus talentueux de la nouvelle génération et lance le duo sur le plan international, en leur donnant l'occasion de se faire remarquer sur les grandes scènes en Europe, en Afrique, au Canada et aux EUA.............. Lorsque le duo se dissout en 1998, Prince Diabaté a décidé de rester aux Etats-Unis pour y recréer sa carrière. Enrichi de ses collaborations et rencontres avec des artistes américains, il fonde un nouveau groupe, tout en développant sa signature personnelle « JIMI HENDRIX » marquée par un pédale de wah-wah qu'il branche à sa kora . En 2001 son deuxième album, "NEW LIFE" sort. Enregistré entre New York et Los Angeles, "New Life" (style "World Music") est un disque basé sur ses racines mandingues, mais influencé par une modernisation de genres musicaux, comme reggae, rap, blues, flamenco, avec la participation d' invités spéciaux américains qui ajoutent une dimension universelle au projet.......... Parallèlement aux concerts et tournées avec son groupe américain, et en sa qualité de griot, Prince Diabaté intervenait aux écoles secondaires, aux collèges et aux universités américains ( Columbia University, New York; University of California, Los Angeles. ) Son talent lui a valu de nombreux prix de concours (LA Weekly Music Awards; International Songwriting Contest) et des subventions des institutions culturelles (Arts International; Alliance for California Traditional Arts) et il était sollicité par les studios de cinéma et de télévision d'Hollywood ......... Toujours à la recherche des sonorités nouvelles, Prince Diabaté puise maintenant dans les rythmes de la tradition « WASSOLOU » qu'il adapte à son propre jeu en les mêlent habilement pour en créer des compositions originales. Il présente ce répertoire sur scène en jouant, de façon atypique, au KAMELEN N'GONI, instrument traditionnel des chasseurs. Les résultats se revêlent dans son dernier album, « DJERELON » ["retour aux sources' en malinké] album semi-acoustique enregistré à Conakry, Guinée en 2006, et coréalisé avec feu MANFILA KANTE, guitariste et arrangeur de Salif Keita. Cet album, le plus abouti, confirme toutes les potentialités de Prince Diabaté comme musicien et interprète au chant. Son approche fraîche nous transporte dans une ambiance d'autres cultures de la Guinée (Peuhl, Susu, Baga) pour en faire une rencontre réussite de modernité et tradition, qui est très remarquée par la presse américaine........... Aujourd'hui Prince Diabaté est basé en France, mais il se partage entre les EUA, la France et la Guinée et il est souvent sur la route se produisant avec son groupe. Ses derniers projets comprennent les tournées, en tant qu'artiste invité spécial, avec Mamady Keita et son groupe, Sewa Kan (2009-2011.)

  • Members

  • Influences

    Imitated by many, beholden to none...an original in every sense!

  • Sounds Like

BAND MEMBERS & INSTRUMENTATION

BAND MEMBERS

PRINCE DIABATE'S BAND IS BASED IN PARIS

************************************************************

LE GROUPE DE PARIS (4 artistes)

PRINCE DIABATE : kora, kamelen n'goni & vocals

DJEKORYAN MORY KANTE :guitars

DJELIMADY KOUYATE: balafon

AHMED SYLLA: traditional drumset

PERFORMANCES

PERFORMANCE HISTORY - SELECTED

L'HISTORIQUE DES PERFORMANCES - EN BREF

Festival Montpellier-Dance, France

Festival Africolor,Saint-Denis, France

Festival Musiques Métisses d'Angouleme, France

Festival International d'Eté of Quebec,Quebec City, Canada

Festival of Winnipeg, Canada

Francofolies of Spa, Belgium

MASA of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, W. Africa

Festival Image of Africa, Copenhagen, Denmark

Festival International de Louisiane, Lafayette, LA, USA

Lotus World Music & Arts Festival, Bloomington, Indiana, USA

Arts Festival of Atlanta, GA, USA

International Reggae Festival, New Orlleans, LA, USA

African Music Festival UCLA Fowler Museum, Los Angeles

Street Scene, San Diego, CA, USA

Afrofunk Festival, San Francisco & Santa Cruz, CA, USA

World Festival of Sacred Music, Royce Hall,UCLA, USA

Festival Les Francofolies de Montréal Québec, Canada

World Music Festival Chico, California, USA

Live Oak Festival, Santa Barbara, CA, USA

Festival Nuits d'Afrique, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Globalquerque, World Music Festival, NM, USA

Jazz au Couvent Festival, Cervioni, Corsica, France

London African Music Festival, Royal Festival Hall, London, England

Danube Music Festival, Germany, Austria

FIMEC-Chiclana, Cadiz, Spain

Festival Rencontres Ingenieuse Afrique, Foix, France

Festival La Kora dans tous ses Etats, Paris, France

CONCERTS IN THEATRES, PACS, MUSEUMS, GALLERIES, UNIVERSITIES

Carleton College, Northfield, MN, USA

New Mexico Symphony Orchestra Youth Concerts, Albuquerque,NM, USA

Museum of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA

World Music in LA Concert, UCLA Hammer Museum, LA, USA

Multicultural Arts Series, San Juan Capistrano Library, CA, USA (three times)

Grand Performances California Plaza, Los Angeles, USA (2001, 2010)

Sounds of LA 2002 series, Getty Center, Los Angeles, USA

Levitt Pavilion, Sounds of Summer Series, Los Angeles, CA, USA (twice)

World Music Day, College of Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Noe Valley Music Series, Noe Valley Ministry, San Francisco, CA, USA (twice)

San Diego State University, School of Music & Dance, CA, USA (three times)

Concerts in Vancouver,Victoria,Saltspring,Vanderhoof, Kitimat, BC, Canada

UC Santa Barbara, Multicultural Center, CA, & UC Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA

SLO FOLKS concerts in San Luis Obispo. CA, USA

Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Pasadena City College, Harbeson Hall, Pasadena, CA, USA (twice)

Concerts in Marseille, Cesseras, France;Brussels, Belgium; Madrid, Spain

Concert "Hommage au feu Momo Wandel Soumah" Centre Culturel Franco-Guineen,

Conakry, Guinea

Comments

Post a comment...

BIO VERSION FRANCAISE

A côté sous le lien MORE et BIO

BIOGRAPHY

PRINCE DIABATE hails from a prominent, Malinké family from Guinea, West Africa. He learned his art from his father, Djéli Sory 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 16 years of age, in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, he stumbled upon a videocassette of Jimi Hendrix and, inspired by what he heard, entered an international kora competition. Taking first prize that day he became known as PRINCE DIABATE, PRINCE OF THE KORA.

In 1986 he met the singer, Amara Sanoh, and the two started to perform together. After 12 successful years on the international festival circuit, touring in Africa, Europe, Canada and the USA, they disbanded and Prince Diabate settled in Los Angeles, USA.
Prince Diabate has released 3 CDs: LAMARANAA (Buda Musique/Allegro) in 1993, awarded a four star rating, NEW LIFE (Sunrise Records/Orchard) in 2001, which features guest artists Michael Brook and Hassan Hakmoun. His latest album, DJERELON (Kora Company Collection) was recorded in Guinea, Conakry in 2006. It is arranged and produced by the late KANTE MANFILA, longtime collaborator of Salif Keita. The album won the People's Choice Awards (Vox Populi) in the Independent Music Awards for 2007: World Music (Traditional) category. LAMARANAA and NEW LIFE are available as digital downloads with Virgin France and Itunes and DJERELON is available through Itunes

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 years in the USA produced collaborations with 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.) The musically adventurous griot has incorporated reggae, rap and blues into his work and, further developing his "Jimi Hendrix" technique, also punctuates his work 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 on the KAMELEN N'GONI. The result is entirely his own creation: a fresh, powerful brand of twenty-first century Manden music, which remains strongly rooted in traditional codes and references.

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 was also a finalist in the International Acoustic Music Awards for 2004; the Unisong Contest for 2005-2006; the International Songwriting Contest for 2004 & 2005; and took first prize in the 2005 and 2006 Pacific Songwriting Competition. 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. Prince Diabate also maintains an active schedule as a lecturer on aspects of Mandinka music. His clients to date include colleges and universities in California, Washington State and New York. He also participates in various film and television projects in Hollywood.

These days Prince Diabate is based in FRANCE, but is often on the move, performing with his group based in Paris, France and he returns frequently to Guinea. Prince has also completed 3 European tours (2009-2011) as a special guest of MAMADY KEITA and his group, Sewa Kan.

..

PRESS REVIEWS

REVIEWS PERFORMANCE

"Prince Diabate is clearly a masterful kora player." - LOS ANGELES TIMES, March 2002

"Mr Diabaté, a virtuosic kora player, reared in Guinea, was a clear audience favorite." -NEW YORK TIMES, September 18, 2002

"Draped like a Guinean pope, the charismatic Diabaté was the cock of the walk." - LA WEEKLY, CA, September 20, 2002

"L'un des plus brillants virtuoses de la cora d'Afrique de l'Ouest." -LA PRESSE, Montréal, Canada, December 19, 2002

"....le petit Diabate acquiert une rapidite epoustouflante." -VOIR, Montreal, Canada, 2002

"Un reél coup de coeur." FRANCOFOLIES DE MONTREAL, Quebec, Canada, Aug 2003

"Prince Diabaté is forging a new connection with the older musical forms" FOLKWORKS MAGAZINE, Los Angeles, Sept-Oct, 2003

" Diabate delivered two sets of traditional vocal, kora, djembe and krin rhythms rearranged to include acoustic and electric guitar. Added to that mix, Becky Allen's clear voice and lyrical flute accompanied the leader's virtuoso kora performance. -THE SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT, CA, Aug 2004

"Prince Diabaté's music covers a lot of ground— from reggae to rap— but it's the Guinean musician's ancestral roots that hold the most sway in his upbeat, worldly compositions." -ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL, NM, November, 2004

"Diabate's masterful fusion of funk, reggae, Caribbean rhythms and the traditional sounds of his Malinke roots in Guinea, West Africa, make his some of the freshest, most danceable music going....Diabate's technical wizardry with the kora and his mastery of it are sorcerer-like." -ALIBI, Albuquerque, NM, November, 2004

"La vedette du jour, Prince Diabate est dans le pantheon de ceux qui refletent la grandeur et l'immensite de la richesse de l'Afrique culturelle... Prince Diabate, que la presse americaine a surnomme par affection "Jimi Hendrix de la kora," est un musicien d'une virtuosite rare. En plus de la kora, qu'il maitrise bien, il joue aussi le kamelen n'goni et est dote d'une voix puissante et envoutante...un musicien guineen qui est encore loin d'atteindre son apogee." -GUINEE NEWS, Toronto,Canada, October, 2005

"En Guinee-Conakry, on considere qu'il a revolutionne l'art de la kora en developpant une facon plus percussive de jouer de cet instrument. En plus,ce descendant d'une illustre famille de djelis malinkes est l'un de ceux qui ont le mieux reussi a fusionner les fondements des traditions mandingues avec rap, reggae, flamenco, latin et funk; rien a voir avec la superposition de genres, mais beaucoup plus avec l'evolution creatrice d'une culture ouverte vers l'exterieur." -ICI, Montreal, Canada, October, 2005

"Prince Diabate fait entrer la kora dans le 21e siecle! Depuis plus de 15 ans, sa maitrise exceptionnelle de l'instrument l'a amene a en revolutionner la maniere de jouer." -VOIR, Montreal, Canada, October, 2005

"The Guinean kora master, Prince Diabate, updates griot music for Westerners without diminishing its traditional power." -THE NEW YORKER, NY, October, 2005

"Diabate has evolved into one of the most innovative West African artists... He weaves elements of rock and reggae into the fabric of his music and plays a wireless electro-acoustic kora - with special effects supplied from distortion pedals." -THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, Vancouver, BC, Canada, November, 2005

'On comprend rapidement pourquoi certains surnomment Prince Diabaté, le "Jimi Hendrix de la kora" : dès son premier morceau, Diabaté y allait de grands coups de pédale à effets sur cet instrument traditionnel de l'Afrique de l'Ouest ! Avouez que la chose est plutôt rare et audacieuse dans le contexte.... l'homme a du talent et de l'audace!' -L'Avenue du Mont-Royal (blog) Quebec, Canada, 2005

"Not only is he in high demand on the festival circuit, but his innovation with the instrument has earned him widespread acclaim." -ARIZONA DAILY STAR, AZ, September, 2006

"Il a une maitrise parfaite de l'instrument, son jeu est rapide et sa musique reste authentique et actuelle." -Aviafimag.com, Montreal, Canada, August, 2007

"Prince Diabate lived up to his reputation. The virtuosic kora player showed an amazing mastery of his instrument, delighting music lovers- of all cultural backgrounds - with the divine sounds he produced." -THE SUDBURY STAR, Ontario, Canada, October, 2007

"Prince Diabaté, un artista de la kora guineana demostró el dominio que tiene de este instrumento." -Review from Fimec-Chiclana, EL PUENTE CHICLANA NOTICIAS, ESPANA, July 2010

"Prince Diabaté procedente de Guinea, nos llamó la atención el control que tenía tocando la kora y la transparencia del sonido. Como una amiga dijo,“Si cierras los ojos parece que estás en otro sitio”. -REVIEW FROM FIMEC N'CONCIERTO, ESPANA, July 2010

PRESS REVIEWS

ALBUM: DJERELON: SELECTED

EN BREF

"Using a mix of traditional songs and original compositions, Diabaté neatly keeps a foot in both the traditional and modern camps, making for a satisfying showcase of contemporary West African roots music." -FOLK ROOTS MAGAZINE, UK, Dec, 2006

"Prince Diabate is one of the most exciting kora players working today. He also sings both traditional Manding music and his own compositions, and is very interested in fusing traditional music with modern ideas without having the modern elements dominate." -www.worlddiscoveries.net Jan 2007

..'Expert arranging sets this recording apart from many contemporary recordings of Mande music...[Prince Diabate]reveals his broad experience and modernity with subtlety and cool. Djerelon establishes him as an important player in the growing wave of West African acoustic pop.' -Banning Eyre, AFROPOP WORLDWIDE, July 2006

"Prince Diabaté has taken a new direction on his latest album. He approached Kante Manfila to collaborate on the arrangements and production...he has gone back to the roots of the Peuhl, Susu & Malinke people of Guinée for inspiration. The title means 'remember your roots' and the set proves that roots is best." - www.muzikifan Sept 2006

Djerelon: Editor's Pick...
'Incredible African music that is sure to whisk you away to West Africa." - SMOTHER MAGAZINE: www.smother.net June 2006

''A very snappy world beat set that doesn't follow convention as much as march to its own drummer; any fans who know him from before won't be disappointed, while any new fans will be delighted.'' -MIDWEST RECORD, June 21, 2006

' All of the instruments are the real thing and you won't find anything plugged in here...I recommend DJERELON to all world music fans and to those who just want to feel the joy that a true artist like Diabate delivers.' - LA YOGA Magazine, July/August, 2006

"Un album ambitieux, enregistré à Conakry avec une vingtaine de musiciens : des cordes raffinées, des tambours et du balafon qui nous parlent pour vrai, des flûtes subtiles ou déchirantes. Un disque fluide." -Yves Bernard, LE DEVOIR, Montreal, Canada, July 2006

. "Like much of the best West African music, Djerelon is upbeat, but with a blue-toned soul, as minor-keyed phrasings snake their way through the predominantly happy melodies." -Michael Keefe, POP MATTERS, Aug 21, 2006

'Beautiful, modernized and multilayered African Mandingo griot pop...if you enjoy gorgeous, melody-driven African pop, you'll want to check this album out!' -SlLIPCUE E-ZINE, June, 2006

Login

Forgot password?

Need an account? Sign up