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 View Balla Tounkara & Groupe Spirit's EPK
Click here to download Balla's press kit.
Click here to download Balla's new single Jeopardy (No More War)!
Click here to listen to the Well Rounded Radio inteview with Balla!
Lire la biographie en Française
Balla Tounkara, a griot and master kora player from Mali, West Africa, is
one of the hottest artists on America's World Music scene. Fresh off a West
coast tour, he and his band Groupe Spirit have been bringing a spicy,
eclectic blend of African, Latin, Funk, Reggae, Jazz and Blues musical
styles to enthusiatic audiences across the country. Regularly performing in
Boston and New York City, they're burning it up everywhere!
Balla has played with a host of world reknowned musical artists, including:
Youssou N'Dour, Salif Keita, Jimmy Cliff, Baba Maal, Super Rail Band with
Djelimady Tounkara, Ali Farka Toure, Oumou Sangare, Ami Koita, Toumani
Diabate, Kine Lam, Abdoulaye Diabate, Kandia Kouyate, Habibe Koite, T.J.
Wheeler, John Sinclair and others. Past performances range from Good
Morning America and the American Blues Festival in the States, to Radio
France Internationale and Stadium Mamadou Konate abroad. Speaking out on
important, pressing social issues such as AIDS and violence he's raising
awarenesss and moving feet and souls along the way!
In 2002 the band has been nominated as Outstanding World Music Act at the
Boston Music Awards. The track Le Monde est Fou from their CD
"Be Right" is included on Putumayo World Music's newest compilation called
"From Congo to Cuba."
The Spirit is soaring - catch it!
"The music is multicultural, powerful and strikingly original"
- David Wildman, Boston Globe
"Whether it's funky kora blues, driving soukous-tinged Afropop, or
innovative covers of Afropop hits, the group command attention and respect"
- Banning Eyre, Afropop Worldwide (for Boston Phoenix)
Click here to purchase Balla's 3rd CD "Yayoroba."
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