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Conakry's Music Scene: Kora, Balafon & Guinea's Musical Legacy

Guinea has produced some of Africa's greatest musicians — the kora virtuosi, balafon masters, and the Bembeya Jazz National that defined Pan-African music in the 1960s; Conakry still buzzes

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1
Bembeya Jazz National Legacy
Bembeya Jazz – Guinea's national orchestra under Sékou Touré – defined African music in the 1960s; their recordings are revered across the continent, and the tradition continues in Conakry
2
Kora and Griot Performance
The Mandinka griot tradition - hereditary oral historians who play the 21-string kora - is most alive in Guinea; evening performances at cultural centers reveal this extraordinary art form
3
Balafon Ensemble Music
The balafont wood xylophone is Guinea's most characteristic instrument — master players in Conakry's music schools teach the complex rhythmic patterns to the next generation
4
Live Music Venues Conakry
Conakry's music clubs are lively on weekend nights — Guinean Afro-pop, traditional djembe drumming and dance music from across West Africa playing in outdoor venues
5
Djembe Drum Workshops
Guinea is the homeland of the djembe drum that swept the world - workshops at Conakry's music schools teach the three basic strokes of bass, tone and bang
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Conakry Ballet National
The Guinean Ballet National - a state dance company that has toured internationally since the 1960s - performs traditional dances from Guinea's various ethnic groups