Trio Da Kali and the Mande Griot Tradition in the Era of the Global Griot

This article examines the centuries-old tradition of “griot” or djeli – musicians, historians, and keepers of the ancient stories of the Mande – as a current global phenomenon, where collaborative works between “global griots” incorporate elements of this tradition into new and emergent contexts. Situating the group Trio de Kali (founded by balafonist Fode Lassana Diabaté) within a framework of applied ethnomusicology, this article canvasses the history of a growing movement of Malian griots who are able to engage with diverse audiences across the world through a network of artists, scholars, and institutions. In doing so, this article investigates the challenges and benefits involved in such collaborative endeavors; how such projects both preserve and progress musical tradition and practice; and, how emergent performative contexts for professional global griots at collaborative events – such as the Sunjata Project Singing Storytellers Symposium at Cape Breton University – contribute to the development of traditional griot practice.