Basirou Suso: kora and storytelling

Edited overview

Basirou Suso comes from a Gambian family of hereditary musicians. The archived profile describes his training at the Institut National des Arts in Bamako, his group Manding Kono and his teaching work in Juffureh.

The jali tradition

Jalis preserve family histories and genealogies, compose praise songs and pass knowledge between generations. Suso’s work belongs to this long tradition of music and oral history.

The sound of the kora

His principal instrument is the kora, a 21-string harp-lute with a skin-covered calabash resonator. The profile follows its place in ceremonies and social gatherings, as well as its growing international audience.

Photographs from the archive

Original profile photograph: Alfred Tamakloe.

Edited from the original Gambia.dk archive. Historical information reflects the period described.