Tidiani Koné

Malian multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Tidiani Koné was an influential figure in the development of Afro-jazz and Afrobeat, playing alongside contemporaries like Fela Kuti and Manu Dibango and founding the legendary Rail Band of Bamako. His understated leadership and nimble, funky horn arrangements earned the respect of his peers even if his fame was often eclipsed by the better-known frontpeople he worked with. Although his roots lay in traditional Malian music, Koné proved to be an innovator, especially during his 1970s tenure leading the Rail Band. A triple threat on s...