1960s – 2020sPeak: 1990s
Mande Griot
About Mande Griot
Mali's central musical tradition, descended from the jeli (griot) lineages of the Mande peoples. Built on kora (21-25 string lute-harp), ngoni (4-7 string lute), and balafon (wooden xylophone), it carries praise-singing, history, and oral memory across centuries. From the 1960s onward, Salif Keita, Mory Kanté, Toumani Diabaté, and Bassekou Kouyaté pulled the tradition into modern band formats and global stages.
Key Artists
Amadou & Mariam
1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s
Bassekou Kouyaté
1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s
Habib Koité
1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s
Mory Kanté
1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s
Salif Keita
1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s
Sidiki Diabaté
2010s, 2020s
Toumani Diabaté
1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s