Djeli Moussa Diawara
(Guinea)

Djembe
Biography
Djeli Moussa Diawara, also written as Jali Musa Jawara on earlier albums, has been playing in the Rail Band together with his half brother Mory Kanté in the 1970s. He then played guitar, balafon and kora, but soon he preferred to focus on the kora.

In 1979, he and Mory Kanté left for Abidjan, where he was the lead guitar player of Kanté's band. When Mory kanté left for Paris, Diawara formed his own ensemble, consisting of his outstanding kora playing, combined with balafon, guitar and female chorus. His first album, the 1983 « Yasimika » recordings, became a cult album and was much traded among West African music collectors. It was rereleased several times and became eventually available on CD.

Later, he sought to bridge his music with other styles and instruments, such as the flamenco guitar, and the hawaian guitar of Bob Brozman. He also participated in the much acclaimed Kora Jazz Trio.



Djeli Moussa Diawara
Djeli Moussa Diawara


Musicians on Soubindoor:
Jali Musa Jawara vocals, kora, guitar;
Kalifa Camara balafon, marimba;
Aboubacar Camara guitar;
Mariama Diabaté vocals;
Maramagbe Keita vocals.

Born: 1961, Kankan Province, Guinea
Style: kora music


Discography
Title Year Label Remarks
Par amour 2022 Kamiyad
Mvetkora 2016 Akaman Sally Nyolo & Djeli Moussa Diawara
Sini 2006 Celluloid
Ocean Blues 2000 Celluloid 67022-2 With Bob Brozman
Flamenkora 1999 Celluloid 66999-2
Sobindo 1996 BMG/Trace
Cimakan 1992 Celluloid
Yasimika 1990 Hannibal HNCD 1355 Re-release on CD of the 1983 album
Soubindoor 1988 World Circuit WCB 008
Djeli Moussa Diawara 1983 A.S. Records AS016

Sources


Page added March 2002