Biography


Prince Diabaté hails from a prominent, Malinké family from Guinea, West Africa. He learned his art from his father, Djéli Sori Diabaté. Breaking with tradition, his father also taught Prince's mother, Hadja Djéli Sira Cissoko, to play kora. The young boy became an exceptionally early starter by accompanying his parents to their concerts throughout West Africa. Despite his father's disapproval, he decided to make music his life. When he was eight years old, former Guinean President, Sekou Touré, came to his home town, Kindia, for a celebration in Independence Square. Braving the outraged soldiers and his own fear, the young musician grasped his kora, threw himself at the President's feet and played a special song for him. Greatly touched by his skill and audacity, Sekou Touré became his benefactor, enrolling him into the National Children's Theatre in Conakry. At sixteen years of age, he won first prize in an international kora competition in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and acquired his nickname, 'Prince Diabaté, Prince of the Kora.'

In 1986 he met the singer, Amara Sanoh, and the two started to perform together. They disbanded in 1998. A world class musician, Prince Diabaté has toured in Africa, Europe, Canada and the US, developing a distinctive style, characterised by a lightning-quick, percussive technique coupled with a dynamic stage presence. He has released three CDs: Lamaranaa (Buda Musique/Allegro) in 1993, awarded a four star rating, New Life (Sunrise Records/Orchard) in 2001, which features guest artists Michael Brook and Hassan Hakmoun. His latest album, Djerelon (Kora Company Collection) was recorded in Guinea, Conakry in 2006. It is arranged and produced by Kante Manfila, longtime collaborator of Salif Keita.The album won the People's Choice Awards (Vox Populi) in the Independent Music Awards for 2007: World Music (Traditional) category. Lamaranaa and New Life are available as digital downloads with Virgin France and Itunes and Djerelon is available through Itunes.

Considered to be one of the leading kora players of his generation, Prince Diabaté brings not only total mastery over his ancestral tradition, but a commitment to renew it through fresh ideas and exchanges with musicians from many cultures. His collaborations have included artists and groups as diverse as The New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Adam del Monte (Flamenco) Hassan Hakmoun (Gnawa) and Grammy winners Michael Brook (guitarist-producer-composer) and Ozomatli (Hip-Hop fusion.)

Moving easily between the classical traditions of Manden music and modern fusion, Prince Diabaté has incorporated reggae, rap and blues into his work punctuated by the occasional, funky use of the wah-wah pedal. Recently, he has adapted the music of the Wassolou to his repertoire, which he plays, self-taught and kora-style, on the kamelen n'goni. The result is entirely his own: a fresh, powerful brand of twenty-first century Manden music, which remains strongly rooted in traditional codes and references.

In 2000, he was creative consultant and lead performer on an IBM commercial for the Olympic Games in Sydney. In 2001, he recorded with Ozomatli on Embrace The Chaos, their Grammy-winning CD. In 2002, he was a nominee for the LA Weekly Music Awards and the New Times Music Awards. He is also a finalist in the International Acoustic Music Awards for 2004;the Unisong Contest for 2005-2006; the International Songwriting Contest for 2004 and 2005; and is a first place winner in the 2005 and 2006 Pacific Songwriting Competition.

His work has attracted grants from Arts International; Alliance for California Traditional Arts; Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department and the Durfee Foundation. Prince Diabate also maintains an active schedule as a lecturer on aspects of Mandinka music. His clients to date include colleges and universities in California, Washington State and New York.

These days Prince Diabate is often on the move, performing with his groups based in Los Angeles, USA and Marseille, France and he returns frequently to Guinea.

Prince Diabate currently has two new projects: one is a trio featuring Prince Diabate on kora, kamelen n'goni & vocals; Julien Soro on sax and Francois Kokelaere on percussion. Called Mandingo World Project, it was created in 2007 in France to explore new musical directions.

The latest venture is a collaboration with two of his childhood friends and fellow kora players, N'faly Kouyate and Ba Cissoko, both from Guinea and both based in Europe.
In September 2009, this trio of griots debuted their more traditional repertoire at the Royal Festival Hall in London, England to great acclaim.