Mamadou Diabaté

Mamadou Diabate is an award winning balafon master and composer born in Burkina Faso. His formation “Percussion Mania” is worldwide the only one with two Balafon as lead instruments. Their music is a journey deep into the heritage of West Africa on the highest musical level of arrangements. Mamadou's virtuosity is outstanding - some people say, he would have more than two hands. Musical dialogs and spectacular balafon duels are one of the highlights of the show. Their shows are a real explosion of energy on stage and musically on the highest level of traditional African sound fused with jazz and modern elements.

Mamadou's music is in reality the Sambla language translated into music. Musicians, who don’t speak this language can’t play it at all. The Sambla are the only tribe worldwide who have developed a proper language with the Balafon.

Since 2001 he has released 11 CD ́s. The CD “Keneya” is the world premiere recording of the traditional balafon music of the Sambla people. Mamadou's "Balafon language" got recorded at the Dartmouth College where he gets regularly invited for a linguistic residency & lectures program.