Recommended YouTube Videos

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

“Hello My Baby”
From Simon’s Graceland Tour, live.

Live Concert

“Township Jive”
From Paul Simon’s Graceland Africa Concert in Zimbabwe

Live dance

Shabalala Rhythms
A group formed by the sons of Joseph Shabalala

Alphabet Song
Ladysmith Black Mambazo performs the Alphabet Song with Kermit the Frog on Sesame Street

Drums and Other

Drum-Dance Ensemble
Ghanaian drum-dance ensemble with from and atumpan drums

Festival Louisiane Performance
Featuring from, atumpan, dancing, etc.

Atumpan

Toumani Diabate Plays the Kora

Youssou N’Dour

Fontomfrom

Chopi Timbila

Mbira Dzavadzimu
A closeup video

Kandia Kouyate
Singing starts about a minute into the video

Mama Sissoko Ngoni Solo

Mbira

Boys group
A mbira group in Zimbabwe.  A good video, but the instruments behind calabash are not visible.

Africa Festival 2006
A performance of Stella Chiwese

Kora/Seckou Keita

Djele Lankandia

Seckou Keita Quartet
Short video, good quality, jeliya jazz.

Kora

Salif Keita

Seckou Keita Quartet Live

Salif Keita playing Africa

“Katolon”
More traditional jeliya-style music.

Toumani Diabate, Taj Mahal

“Nene Koita”
A young Toumani Diabate, kora, with Danny Thompson on bass.  From a documentary.

Live Gig

Short Live Clip
Group includes bala and djembe player, but this clip is just of solo kora.

Duet
Kora-harp duet with Toumani on kora.

Explanation
Toumani Diabate demonstrates polyphonic texture of kora music: bass, accompaniment, solo improvisation.

Angelique Kidjo/Mamadou Diabate

“Nene Koita”
Mamadou Diabate concert with Noah Jarrett on bass.

Grassroots Festival
Mamadou Diabate group live at the Grassroots Festival in New York.  Traditional jeliya performance, but the footage is imperfect.  Bala can be heard nicely.

Interview
Kidjo talks about her music and background.

“Tumba”
Live at the Live 8 concert in England.

“Black Ivory Soul”
Short documentary promo about Kidjo.  Interview footage, clips from the album.  Includes recording session of “Okan Bale” and Dave Matthews in “Iwoya.”

“Agolo”
Kidjo live at Newport Folk Festival, 2006

“Wombo Lombo”
Video; Kidjo.

Mamadou Diabate Ensemble