Trio Da Kali - Mali

Finely tuned interplay in the griot tradition

Trio da Kali comes from the male culture of the southern part of Mali, and the three musicians are all griots, the West African musicians and storytellers we can compare to the Old Norse skalds. They are musicians because their fathers for many generations back were. Da Kali means to take an oath, and the trio has sworn that their goal is to preserve and shed new light on forgotten parts and styles within the rich griot traditions.

They renew the typical West African expression, among other things by giving the balafon a very central place in the soundscape. In addition, the arrangement offers welcome surprises and not least a thoroughly fine-tuned interplay between three brilliant musicians, a balafon, an ngoni and the fabulous voice of Hawa Mady Diabaté.

Trio Da Kali has performed and released an album with the legendary Cronos Quartet, and will release their second album, Bagola (World Circuit) this spring. The trio has also played with our own Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra during a concert at Oslo World.

The trio has not played in Førde previously, but Mamadou Kouyaté has played on Førdefestivalen twice previously, in the band of his father, Bassekou Kouyaté.