Jali Bakary Konteh

Jali Bakary Konteh comes from a long line of Gambian griot kora players. Born in Brikama, Gambia, his grandfather was Alhaji Bai Konte, whose Kora Melodies from the Republic of the Gambia, West Africa album pretty much introduced the kora to Western audiences when it was released by Rounder Records in 1973, and his father, Dembo Konte, added additional strings to the 21-string kora and recorded and toured regularly internationally, so it was not only natural but perhaps even ordained that the younger Konteh take up the instrument. He added his own twist to things, though, inco...