Jali Bakary is the third generation in the Konteh family of Gambian masters of the kora – a 21-string cross between a harp and a lute – capable of astonishing virtuosity and lyricism.

It is hard to overstate the regal, nearly divine, stature of the Konteh family in West African music

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As a hereditary musician (or griot), Jali Bakary is a custodian of the tradition and history of the Manding region of West Africa, a tradition which reaches back to the 13th century when Sunjata Keita founded the Mali Empire.

His performances feature praise songs from the Mandinka tradition. Praise song is traditionally based on patronage – a musician would sing songs relating to the family history of wealthy patrons. While this model continues today in the Manding region, Jali Bakary – like his father and grandfather before him – has brought this music to a wider audience.

Read our interview with Jali Bakary Konteh