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 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 DIABATE, 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 3 CDs: Lamaranaa (Buda Musique/Allegro) in 1993, awarded a four star rating; New Life (Sunrise Records/Orchard) in 2001 and DJERELON in May 2006.
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 on the move, dividing his time between the US and France and returning frequently to Guinea. His work has secured 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's latest semi-acoustic album entitled, DJERELON, was recorded in Guinea in early 2006. The US release date was May 6, 2006. Kante Manfila, longtime collaborator of Salif Keita, is the arranger and producer. Prince Diabate is spending the winter of 2007-2008 in Guinea, researching ideas for his next album.
BRIEF PRESS COMMENTS: PERFORMANCE
"Mr Diabaté, a virtuosic kora player, reared in Guinea, was a clear audience
favorite." NEW YORK TIMES, USA, 2002
"A masterful kora player." LOS ANGELES TIMES, USA, 2002
"Draped like a Guinean pope, the charismatic Diabaté was the cock of the walk." LA WEEKLY, USA, 2002
"L'un des plus brillants virtuoses de la cora d'Afrique de l'Ouest."
LA PRESSE, CANADA, 2002
"Un reél coup de coeur."
FRANCOFOLIES DE MONTREAL, CANADA, 2003
"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, USA, 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, USA,2004
"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, CANADA, 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, CANADA, 2005
"The Guinean kora master, Prince Diabate, updates griot music for Westerners without diminishing its traditional power."
THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE, USA, 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, CANADA, 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, QUEBEC, CANADA, 2005
"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. "
SUDBURY STAR, ONTARIO, CANADA, OCTOBER, 2007
"Il a une maîtrise parfaite de l’instrument, son jeu est rapide, et sa musique reste authentique et actuelle."
- AVIAFIMAG.COM, MONTREAL, CANADA, AUGUST, 2007
REVIEWS FOR DJERELON (A Few)
' Djerelon establishes him as an important player in the growing wave of West African acoustic pop.' AFROPOP WORLDWIDE, JULY 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...DJERELON holds an infectious sound that will never grow old... his best yet.' DISCOVERIES.NET, JAN,2007
' 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. From the ripple of descending balafon notes that usher in interlocking acoustic guitar melodies and soulful female harmonies, to Diabaté's subtle kamelen n'goni and kora embellishments and rich,woody timbre of a voice, there's an effortlessly relaxed feeling to the recordings.' FOLK ROOTS (UK) DEC, 2006.
'Prince Diabaté is called ..the Jimi Hendrix of the kora.... but that's just lazy shorthand for saying that he's a skilled and exciting performer. On Djerelon, no pyrotechnics were used to create the disc's lively and lovely Guinean music.... 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. Although its distribution is limited, Prince Diabaté..s latest CD (his first in five years) is well worth hunting down.' POP MATTERS, AUG 21, 2006
"Beautiful, modernized and multilayered African Mandingo griot pop... This album made me sit up and listen not just because it's pretty-sounding, but also because Diabate has created some musical sounds that I haven't heard before... and that's pretty darn cool. The microtonal riffs that run counterpoint to the album's elegant kora work are quite striking. ..The entire disc is quite nice, actually -- if you enjoy gorgeous, melody-driven African pop, you'll want to check this album out!' SLIPCUE E-ZINE June, 2006
'The title means 'remember your roots' and the set proves that roots is best. The compositions are mainly the work of Diabaté, who plays kora, kamele ngoni & sings lead. There are also four traditional pieces. The ensemble is excellent and, though it's low key, it is a good mood album, perfect for a little mental safari to the bush of an evening...There are good harmony singers, meaning they are not shrill. All in all a pleasant hour of traditional music.' MUZIKIFAN, SEPT 1, 2006
' Le revoici, plus près que jamais des racines malinké, susu et peuhl, sur un disque à dominante acoustique coréalisé avec le splendide guitariste Kanté Manfila. 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.' LE DEVOIR, MONTREAL, CANADA, JULY 2006
DJERELON: PRINCE DIABATE: EDITOR'S PICK
"Known as the Prince of the Kora, Prince Diabate funnels his superb kora playing with a variety of modern spiritual sounds fusing it with his own take on his region's style of music...Guinean traditionals are married with several original compositions that show off Diabate's dynamic songwriting skills while keeping true to the album's name. Incredible African music that is sure to whisk you away to West Africa." SMOTHER MAGAZINE, JUNE 2006
PRINCE DIABATE/Djerelon:' 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. Creating a sound that doesn't fit the format but is friendly throughout, world beat has a new, left leaning leader.' MIDWEST RECORD, JUNE 2006
'Guinea-born Prince Diabate has been known to experiment, including in his music strains of funk, reggae, rap and blues. But DJERELON is a departure from his forays into world fusion...Kora, drums and voice dominate, with some flute, bass, guitar and balafon tossed in here and there to nice effect. The 11 tracks include 4 traditional songs with new arrangements by Kante Manfila. The rest are Prince Diabate originals, including my two current favorites: the upbeat Herakoura and Djerelon. A sure winner for West African music fans.' SPIN THE GLOBE, WA, USA, May 2006
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Hello l international PRINCE DIABATE, I come d listened to your musik, she(it) is really great, I wish you maid chanse, reussite, success ds your musik
Hello hard working man, I miss you here in L.A. can't wait to see you in May. Meanwhile I wich you the best and keep making the great music I love so much. XO to you and your mgr.
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