BENGALURU: For Dwada Jobarteh, music runs in his genes. The virtuoso kora player from West Africa is set to perform at Ruhaniyat, a music festival happening in the city on Dec 14.
Jobarteh’s experiences and experiments in life have defined his style of playing in rewarding ways, taking him beyond Gambia, where he was born, to Europe, and Denmark in particular, where he has lived and worked for several years.
According to him, listening to the strains of the West African kora, a 21-string lute-bridge-harp used extensively in West Africa, “one can’t help at times but feel called to the gods”. “I am very spiritual and the kora has been a part of my musical journey. Back home, every family has a traditional instrument and kora is our family’s music instrument,” he says.
His debut album, I Met Her By The River, was widely acclaimed all over the globe. The album combines the deep traditions of the kora repertoire and the Western folk and pop. Jobarteh is also a travel enthusiast and most of his music traces his travels in sound. “It’s a testament to my Gambian roots, impactful life abroad, and my mastery; it is also the personal statement of a man engaging in the world,” he adds.
His song, Begging Boys, is a lament and a call to act, a plea to end the practice of sending young male children to live away from home in Quranic schools where they must beg on the streets for eight or more hours daily, often dirty and tattered, while soliciting money to sustain schools. “I have always loved coming up with meaningful lyrics that leave an impact on the minds of a listener,” the musician says.
As for the performance in Bengaluru, Jobarteh says, “I am extremely excited about my gig. I am expecting that the city crowd will enjoy my performance and leave with smiles on their faces.”
Musical moments
Ruhaniyat is a timely reminder of the human capacity to love, to nurture, to guide. The most interesting aspect is that the festival features carriers of living traditions not only from across India but also around the world. It has also become a platform to discover rare forms and new talents, which are then presented in various festivals in different parts of India and beyond. Also, in line are performances from groups like Mehdi Emami & Vasl trio, Avadhoot Gandhi, Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa, Hifzur Rehman Hakimi, and Meena Sahu.