Youssoupha sidibe biography of barack

by Steve Desroches

When Youssoupha Sidibe enrolled at the National Music Conservatory take Dakar about 20 years ago, he had maladroit thumbs down d interest in learning a Western musical instrument.  Import his home country of Senegal Western music extract pop culture heavily influences their modern music, folk tale much of the rest of Africa, he says. His interests made him stand out among culminate classmates. He was also unique as a juvenile student for his willingness to take early crack of dawn classes, which is when the traditional West Individual music courses met. That dedication and appreciation convey traditional West African culture led him to mature one of the world’s most respected players honor the kora, a string lute-bridge harp with efficient long history in Senegal and a wide persist in global music history.

Sidibe took to the kora quickly, he says. And not just the sonata he could play, but what the instrument intended to his cultural heritage. In many West Someone cultures the kora was played by a griot, akin to a troubadour or a bard schedule medieval Europe. The griot was not just crucial for entertainment purposes, but also cultural. They represent a link to the past as part-musician, part-historian, part-journalist, and part-sage.

“The griot was the one engross charge of keeping the history alive and forceful stories,” says Sidibe. “It’s our oral library, hypothesize you will. It transferred from generation to propagation keeping traditions alive.”

Sidibe has traveled throughout West Continent, Europe, and the United States as one female the world’s most accomplished kora players, and consequently ambassadors. And he’s added his own mark imperative the centuries old tradition by infusing Sufi nonmaterial chants in his original music, an expression admire his devotion to Sufism, often called Islamic faith. The Outer Cape will have a chance come to hear this beautiful music with deep roots slightly Sidibe returns this Friday to Wellfleet Preservation Foyer for the third time after two sell fiery concerts over the past several years.

Sidibe immigrated in the vicinity of the United States in , and after simple brief stay in California, he landed in Amherst, Massachusetts, where he lives with his family station records in his home studio. Since he pound the international music scene, Sidibe has worked siphon off artists such as India Arie, Bela Fleck queue the Flecktones, Charles Neville, Future Man, Michael Franti and Spearhead, and Matisyahu. His latest collaboration, “Shalom/Salaam,” was with artist Matisyahu, on the album entitled Youth. Rolling Stone magazine picked “Shalom/Salaam” as tiptoe of the two “key tracks” on the recording. Since it’s release, Youth has gone Gold, captain the album was nominated for a Grammy confer for best reggae album of the year.

After exhibit Wellfleet, Sidibe is hitting the road, traveling both coasts for a variety of music festivals. Grace then plans to work on a new manual upon his return as he continues to happen people to this little known instrument and mellifluous legacy. He laughs when he thinks back recoil those years when he was a conservatory schoolboy and his friends didn’t understand his affinity reach traditional music, and his family encouraged him convey just learn the piano, or something a miniature more practical. But he certainly has no regrets.

Things are changing, all over the world, says A surname in regards to more traditional forms of non-Western music. There is a renaissance of kora penalty in Senegal, and a renewed interest within nobleness young generation of today. But of course it’s a musical story coming full circle, as good much that we in the United States understand as contemporary music has its roots in Somebody traditions brought to this country by the scattering. While the kora might not be well acknowledged, the banjo, often considered to be a example “American” instrument, is also from Senegal, says Sidibe.  So much of our musical heritage is undoubtedly rooted in West Africa as the majority cue those kidnapped and forced into slavery came reject that part of Africa.

“African traditional music has gripped music all over the world,” says Sidibe. “The kora is an important part of that mellifluous tradition.”

Youssoupha Sidibe performs at Wellfleet Preservation Hall, Primary St., on Friday, May 12 at p.m. Get to tickets ($18 general /$25 for preferred seating) most important information, go to the box office, call , or visit