Nyama Suso
Nyama Suso (mostly written Jali Nyama Suso ) (* 1925 in Bakau , Gambia ; † May 2, 1991 , Gambia) was a well-known musician in Gambia. He played the West African instrument Kora , a 21-string bridge harp.
Life
Suso belongs to the Jali ( Griot ) tradition . At the age of eight he was already considered a competent kora player. At the age of 16 he lost a leg so that he was no longer able to travel the country in the Jali tradition.
In 1956 he began making recordings for the radio and was a popular music star in The Gambia until the mid-1960s. He was even made an offer to play the Gambian national anthem .
In the United States he later worked with musicologists, including at the University of Washington , where he lectured and worked on the soundtrack for Roots . After that, in the late 1970s, he traveled to Sweden and gave a few concerts. He also played in front of audiences in Great Britain , Germany and France . In 1986 he became infected with tuberculosis , of which he died in 1991.
Discography
- 1987 - Jali Nyama
- 1988 - Kora Master of Gambia
- 1996 - Art of Kora
Web links
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Suso, Nyama |
ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Susso, Nyama |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Gambian musician |
DATE OF BIRTH | 1925 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Bakau , Gambia |
DATE OF DEATH | May 2, 1991 |
Place of death | Gambia |