Join Jon The Reptilian on Wednesday, January 3rd @ 4pm to hear his recent conversation with UK based Gambian multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer, and educator, Sona Jobarteh.
Sona Jobarteh is a unique and pioneering musical icon of her time whose renown has been rapidly flourishing globally. Jobarteh is the first professional female Kora virtuoso to come from any of the West African Griot dynasties. Her lineage carries a formidable reputation for renowned Kora masters, most notable amongst these are her grandfather Amadu Bansang Jobarteh and her cousin, the legendary Toumani Diabaté.
Sona is reputed for her skill as an instrumentalist, her distinctive voice, infectious melodies and her grace onstage, and she has rapidly achieved international success as a top class performer.
Born into a Griot family from the Gambia, a tradition that dates back seven centuries, she is the first female within this tradition to become a professional virtuoso on the Kora. Her music is uniquely poised between the preservation of her rich cultural heritage and an accessible, modern style that relates to the current era and to audiences from all over the world.
At the heart of her success as an artist is her dedication to humanitarian activism in the areas of social development and educational reform on the continent of Africa. She is the Founding Director of The Gambia Academy, an institution dedicated to educational reform for Africans on the continent of Africa.
Latest album, Badinyaa Kumoo, is out now on African Guild Records.
