Toumani Diabaté
Biography
Toumani Diabaté was a Malian kora player born on August 10, 1965, in Bamako, Mali, the son of a kora player and singer. He came from a long line of musicians and recorded with his father, who released the first-ever kora album in 1970. Diabaté gained recognition for his innovative style, which blended traditional Malian music with international genres, earning him a spot among the 50 best African artists in 2006. He was described as a "bold and innovative musical visionary" by The Times.