Jally Kebba Susso
Dave’s Stage (Main Stage), Sunday 2019
The kora is the traditional harp of the griot of West Africa and Jally Kebba was born and raised into 74 generations of this Gambian musical heritage, under the guidance of his father Bully Suso, a very well-respected kora player. Jally started touring as a musician at the age of 13 and has played throughout Europe.
But Jally not only honed his skill on this instrument, he has taken it to another level – blending traditional repertoire into his own heady-jazz concoction that is immediately accessible and uplifting and yet filled with nuances and intoxicating rhythmical layers that give the music depth and intrigue.
Precision, speed and a merciless energy characterise Jally's stage performance style making him and his band solid crowd-pullers at festivals such as Wilderness, Shambala and Secret Garden Party in UK. Songs are sung in Mandika and are songs of praise and love and are a timely call for togetherness and solidarity, palpable to all language speakers.
If you enjoy afrobeat and funk, and need a good dance session, you’ll find yourself in good company – to experience the kora as you’ve never seen it before.