With Sheriff Janko
After a long absence due to his ill health, Gambian kora superstar Tatadinding Jobarteh last Saturday returned to the stage, amid anticipation by his fans at a concert held at Brikama Box Bar mini stadium.
The grand concert also saw superb performances by two of The Gambia’s finest stars, ST and ENC.
Music lovers and fans in the country have been long anticipating the return of the kora sensation, who has toured the globe with his Slam Band since the start of his career many years ago.
He has over the years raised the country’s flag on the international scene and has shared the same stage with a number of the industry’s heavyweights.
A renowned Gambian music pundit who wants to remain unanimous, shared his admiration for the kora star.
“The demand for Tatadinding’s music remains high and his fans have long been anticipating his return to the stage and in the studio,” he told Standard Lite in a brief chat.
Brief bio
The 21-stringed kora has been transformed into a modern vehicle of expression by Gambia-born Tatadinding.
Born Ebraima Jobarteh, he is oldest son of influential kora player Malamini Jobarteh, and the brother of modern kora player Pa Bobo.
Tatadinding in the recent past continued to build on his family’s legacy. While much of his repertoire consists of traditional tunes, he has brought a fresh vision to his music.
Inspired by the modern Yenyengo approach to the kora, Tatadinding performs with an amplified kora that he built himself in an eight-piece, electric band, Salam.
His stage show, which features him playing the kora with his teeth and behind his back, has earned him fans across the globe.
A native of Brikama, Tatadinding learned to play the kora from his father, who bought him his first instrument when he was six years old. He also studied with kora master Alhaji Bai Konte, who lived next door with his sons, Dembo and Bakaba.
He later joined with German pianist Hans Ludemann for a Goethe Institute-sponsored tour of Africa in 1999.
