Because the story of African griots is one of family, this father and his son embody its very essence. For Aboulaye Koné and Aboubakar Sidiki, the Ivory Coast constitutes a creative ecosystem that nurtures their imaginations, deeply immersed in Mandinka culture, with teachings of their distinctive art from the Burkinabé bard, Djeli Baba Kienou. Abdoulaye, who also plays guitar, generously shares his chord arrangements with distinguished musicians throughout Africa. As a storyteller, he passes on legends and myths still very much alive today, those of imperial Manding figures stretching back thousands of years, reborn through oral tradition and song, and magnified by the guitar arrangements of an artist who, in 2012, received a JUNO nomination for his album, Afo Gné.

A modern ambassador of Mandinka culture across Canada, Aboulaye Koné has also poured his tremendous talent into his band, Bolo Kan, two-time winner at the Syli d’Or de la musique du monde, Silver in 2008 and Gold in 2009, giving it a reputable jumpstart; Koné has also been awarded two grants, one from the Canada Council for the Arts and the other from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec.

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