Mali’s kora star Toumani Diabaté – a personal reflection by his music producer

By Lucy Durán, Professor of music, SOAS, University of London

The untimely death of Mali’s Toumani Diabaté at the age of 58 has shocked the music world. The sheer number of tributes, including those from superstar African musicians Youssou N’Dour from Senegal and Salif Keita from Mali, is testament to the impact of Toumani’s mastery of the kora.

He played an immeasurable role in bringing the music of Mali and of the kora, the west African harp, to international audiences. He received many honours, including…

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