Famoro Dioubate
master balafon player, composer, arranger, and band leader of Kakande
Based in New York City since 1999, Famoro plays solo, in duets, and with his Manding Groovy band, Kakande. Kakande mixes profound and sacred West African traditional griot music with some of the hottest musicians in New York today. They play regularly in Harlem at the Shrine World Music Café as well as in festivals throughout the city such as Celebrate Brooklyn. Famoro has also played with world-famous Mory Kanté and Angelique Kidjo, and has performed in Carnegie Hall, Joe’s Pub, The Met, and other museums and universities across the country.
Famoro Dioubaté's Kakande at Shrine World Music Venue, Harlem, NY. They play there regularly since 2012.
Famoro Dioubate, solo at the opening of the African Origins of Civilization, The Met Museum, December 2021.
Famoro Dioubaté (balafon) and Kevin Nathaniel (shékéré and mbira (thumb Piano) live at Union Square 2022.
Kakande plays "Kakande" at Shrine, one of their crowd-pleasers.
About Famoro
Famoro Diouabté is recognised as one of West Africa’s most talented and graceful balafonists. Hailing from Conakry, Guinea, He comes from a long family lineage of griots (or jeli in Malinké), African oral historians and musicians who played in the royal courts since the 13th century.
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Famoro has performed with contemporary musical ensembles and artists from Guinea and Mali, including Sekouba Bambino, Mory Kante, and Sekouba Kandia Kouyate, current Chef d'Orchestre of the Ensemble Instrumental de Guinée. He participated in artistic residencies in France in 1994, and since coming to New York City in 1999, he has collaborated in educational programs at the Juilliard School and performed at the MET (2021). He reinterpreted a Peter Gabriel song for a compilation, he records with Ruben Gonzalez, the list goes on and on. His band Kakande plays in music festivals such as Celebrate Brooklyn!
About Kakande
A regular on the roster, each month, Famoro's Kakande lights up Shrine World Music venue in Harlem, New York. Arguably the best, long-standing West African dance band outside of Africa since Bembeya Jazz, their loyal fans come out to dance the night away. Famoro started Kakande in 2006 with a CD release party at S.O.B.s featuring the late, great
Famoro was featured in this book on griots of West Africa
Discography
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Bangoura, Fode Seydou. 2005. Fakoly 1.
Bangoura, M'Bemba. 2004. Wofabé.
Diabate, Cheick Hamala. 2006. Kélé Manyi Dé. Malimusic.
———. 2012. Anka Ben Mali Denou. Stepback Music.
Diabate, Mamadou. 2000. Tunga. Alula, ALU1019.
Diabate, Prince. 2001. New Life. Sunrise Records/Orchard.
Dioubate, Famoro. n.d. West African Soul.
———. 2014. Kontendemi. Self-produced.
Famoro Dioubaté's Kakande. 2008. Dununya. Jumbie, JMB0008.
Fula Flute. 2002. Fula Flute. Blue Monster.
———. 2008. Mansa America. Completely Nuts.
Koita, Ami. 2002. Djigui. Créon, 765042.
Kouyate, Sekouba Kandia. 1990? Sekouba Kandia Kouyate et les Heritiers. Super Selection, SS 2822. Guinean cassette.
Markus, Michael. 2004. Magbana. Michael Markus.
Tolno, Fara. 2002? Binye (Respect). BMS.
Toure, Sanban Seny. 2003. Dunuya Mukolonma. Kassoemaï (Sabam).
Various Artists. 2002. Badenya: Manden Jaliyaa in New York City. Smithsonian Folkways, SFW CD 40494.
