Guitari Baro - meaning "Guitar Conversations"- is a groundbreaking instrumental trio showcasing extraordinary virtuosity. The ensemble features three renowned griot musicians from Guinea and Mali: guitarists Gaoussou Kouyate and Kerfala Diabate, joined by master balafonist Lassana Diabate. Their project features musical conversations across their shared Mande griot musical heritage, drawing on the entrancing regional styles of the Mande repertoire, while also referencing idioms from jazz, Congolese rumba, rock and roll, Guinean dance bands, and Cuban music, evoking the past and present in sublime, futuristic ways. Guitari Baro is the first new artist to be released on Chrysalis Global - an imprint focusing on international jazz and folk, with previous titles including the critically acclaimed reissues of Toumani Diabate landmark albums 'New Ancient Strings' and 'Kaira'. The group's electrifying live debut at the 2025 Dakar Music Expo was a standout moment of the festival. The dynamic trio is set to take their unique sound on the road, with a European tour kicking off in late 2025 and continuing through 2026.
