Jali Bakary Konteh

The latest member of a legendary lineage of West African griots, Jali Bakary Konteh is a London-based kora master, carrying forward Gambia’s rich kora tradition and adding his own innovations along the way. Born into a remarkable musical lineage and steeped in Gambia’s griot tradition, Jali Bakary is the latest torch bearer for his family’s kora legacy on the world stage. He has performed extensively throughout West and North Africa, as well as in the UK and the rest of Europe. Like his father and grandfather before him, Jali Bakary brings his own personal touch and innovations to traditional songs with unique melodic and rhythmic arrangements. A hugely versatile musician, he regularly performs solo, as well as with his own band, Minyanta, and Balimaya Project, a new 13 piece collective who fuse West-African folkloric music and jazz.
‘An exceptional purveyor of the Gambian tradition.’ … ‘It is difficult to overstate the regal, nearly divine, stature of the Konte family in the echelons of West African music.’ Afropop Worldwide