Kélétigui Diabaté

Kélétigui Diabaté is a master of the balafon, a xylophone-like instrument with rosewood keys suspended on a bamboo frame over gourd resonators. A founder of Formation A, one of Mali's first bands, in the early '60s, Diabaté went on to play with the Ambassadors and guitarist Salif Keita. Since 1993, Diabaté has performed in Mali with the Symmetric Orchestra, a band he shares with kora player Toumani Diabaté (no relation) and ngoni player Bassekou Kouyate. ~ Craig Harris