KOUROU FIA

KOUROU FIA

The kora that speaks

New albumCOKORA, ma kora ne bégaye pas

Listen (opens in a new tab)Watch liveDécouvrir KOUROU FIADiscover
Kourou Fia seated beside his kora in a library, in warm light.
Photo: Hubert Caldagues

Listen

Nine songs, twenty-one strings, three worlds.

COKORA cover: Kourou Fia standing beside his kora on a sand background. “Ma kora ne bégaye pas.”
Artwork: Marc Ambrogiani / CCE

COKORA, ma kora ne bégaye pas

Label KW · 9 tracks · about 39 min

  1. Noche en l'Alhambra
  2. Concierto de Aranjuez
  3. Métro de Paris (ft. Robby Marshall, J-P Rykiel)
  4. Le chemin de la kora
  5. Mama rose wetsho
  6. Valse n°2 kora
  7. Ma kora ne bégaye pas
  8. Take Five
  9. La feria d'Arles
Listen to COKORA (opens in a new tab)

Every platform, one link.

Watch

On stage, the kora takes the floor.

The video loads from YouTube when you press play.

Story

Ibrahima Kourou Kouyaté comes from a Guinean griot lineage, the keepers of memory and music.

His father, M’Bady Kouyaté, played kora in the National Instrumental Ensemble of Guinea. Kourou picked up the instrument at five. He never put it down.

In Malinké, “Kourou” means “the warrior.” Beside the kora, he plays bolon and bass. He is one of the co-founders of Ba Cissoko, formed in 1999, and its bassist.

His road has crossed those of Ray Lema, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Elvin Jones, Amadou & Mariam, Flavia Coelho, Jean-Philippe Rykiel and Robby Marshall.

COKORA brings three worlds together. Mandinka roots meet flamenco and jazz.

Three worlds : ConakryAndalusiaParis

« Ma voix hésite parfois, trébuche, se cherche. Mais ma kora, elle, ne bégaye pas. »

“My voice sometimes hesitates, stumbles, searches for itself. But my kora never stutters.”

— Kourou Fia
Kourou Fia smiling, seated with his kora in a library.
Photo: Hubert Caldagues

Dates

Past

  • Studio de l'ErmitageParis

Press

Press kit

Everything you need to write, book or broadcast.

Credit required: Photo: Hubert Caldagues. Artwork: Marc Ambrogiani / CCE.

Contact

Write to us. We answer in French and English.