Diabaté was born in Kita, Mali,[1] a town relatively near to Mali's capital of Bamako, known for its artistic and cultural prominence within the Manding community of West Africa.[2] He was born into a family of griots, with his father, Djelimory Diabaté, also a kora musician and a member of the Instrumental Ensemble of Mali. He moved to Bamako at four years old with his father, but returned to his birthplace to attend school.[2] He began playing the kora Read more on Last.fm