Mali’s “King of Kora” Toumani Diabate has died.
He passed away on Friday (July 19, 2024) at the age of 58 following a short illness, the musician’s family announced on social media.
“My dear dad is gone forever,” the Malian great’s son Sidiki Diabate wrote on Facebook.
Toumani Diabate was a master of the African stringed instrument, the kora.
He died at a private clinic in Bamako, the capital of the West African nation, another member of Diabate’s family told AFP.
Diabate was born in 1965 to a family of griots — storytellers who are the guardians of Mali’s traditions and oral histories.
Fellow stars of the vast West African music scene paid tribute to Diabate.
Senegal’s Youssou N’dour lauded “a virtuoso of the kora, an unmatched musical arranger” in a post on X.
Malian Grammy award-winning singer Oumou Sangare, known as the “Songbird of Wassoulou”, said Diabate was “a bridge between our ancestral traditions and modernity”.
Salif Keita, the “Golden Voice of Africa”, lamented “the loss of (Mali’s) national treasure”.
Organizers of the KORA Awards also paid tribute to the legend saying;
“It is with great sadness that we learned of the death, this July 19, 2024, of Toumani Diabate virtuoso, Grand Master of the Kora and one of the greatest musicians of our continent.
Toumani Diabaté has not only excelled in his craft but also played a crucial role in the international recognition of the Kora, this ancestral instrument of Mandingo culture. His exceptional talent and passion for music have transcended borders and inspired millions around the world.
Today we honour a music master, an ambassador of African culture and a living legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come.
Thank you, Toumani, for the beauty and magic you brought to our lives and culture.
Rest in peace Grand Master of KORA.”
This story was written by Nydjlive.com with contributions from AFP.
