Biography
Hailing from different nations, The Toubabs present a CD featuring
the African kora and incorporating elements of Swedish folk music and
the Indian tabla. The group performed together at the Tanji Village Museum in Gambia.Two of the group, Jalikebba and Haruna were born into griot
families. Griots are a social caste who perform traditional music and
poetry, jaliyaa, carrying on the oral tradition from antiquity.Tommy
is an Austrian performer and composer who specializes in the Indian
tabla and other percussive instruments. Violinist Sandra and vocalist
Kasja are both Swedes.Jalikebba. Jalikebba
Kuyateh was born and raised in Gambiw, and is a skilled kora player who
has placed with many groups in Africa. He is in demand for festivals,
weddings, and ceremonies.Currently, Jalikebba is the lead
performer at the Tanji Village Museum in Tanji, Gambia. The museum
presents and preserves the traditional culture and the natural history
of Gambia. He also teaches music workshops both at the museum and
abroad.Tommy. Thomas Nawratil is a multi-instrumentalist and composer. His works include compositions ranging from classical and jazz to international works in percussive folk styles. Tommy is particulary focused on tuned percussive instruments like the balafon, mbira, and tabla tarang, as well as general percussive instruments like the darbouka, djembe, duff, riq, dhol, dholak, and khamak. Nawratil was born in Vienna. He studied vibraphon and marimba with Woody Schabata (at the Schubert Conservatory) and classical Indian tabla with Jatinder Thakur.
the African kora and incorporating elements of Swedish folk music and
the Indian tabla. The group performed together at the Tanji Village Museum in Gambia.Two of the group, Jalikebba and Haruna were born into griot
families. Griots are a social caste who perform traditional music and
poetry, jaliyaa, carrying on the oral tradition from antiquity.Tommy
is an Austrian performer and composer who specializes in the Indian
tabla and other percussive instruments. Violinist Sandra and vocalist
Kasja are both Swedes.Jalikebba. Jalikebba
Kuyateh was born and raised in Gambiw, and is a skilled kora player who
has placed with many groups in Africa. He is in demand for festivals,
weddings, and ceremonies.Currently, Jalikebba is the lead
performer at the Tanji Village Museum in Tanji, Gambia. The museum
presents and preserves the traditional culture and the natural history
of Gambia. He also teaches music workshops both at the museum and
abroad.Tommy. Thomas Nawratil is a multi-instrumentalist and composer. His works include compositions ranging from classical and jazz to international works in percussive folk styles. Tommy is particulary focused on tuned percussive instruments like the balafon, mbira, and tabla tarang, as well as general percussive instruments like the darbouka, djembe, duff, riq, dhol, dholak, and khamak. Nawratil was born in Vienna. He studied vibraphon and marimba with Woody Schabata (at the Schubert Conservatory) and classical Indian tabla with Jatinder Thakur.
