Jali Nyama Suso
Encyclopedia
Jali Nyama Suso was a kora
player from Gambia. He had a program on "Radio Gambia" for 20 years. He had his first album in 1971 while he was teaching at the University of Washington
. In the 1980s he toured in England
, France
, Germany
, and Sweden
.
He also worked on the soundtrack for Roots (TV miniseries)
. Long before any of that he had been known in his native country. He did not fully live the tradition of a wandering musicians because he lost his leg at age 16, but by the mid-1960s became popular on radio. He attained enough respect to do an arrangement for their national anthem. In 1991 he died of tuberculosis
after several years of illness.
Kora (instrument)
The kora is a 21-string bridge-harp used extensively in West Africa.-Description:A kora is built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator, and has a notched bridge. It does not fit well into any one category of western instruments and would have to be...
player from Gambia. He had a program on "Radio Gambia" for 20 years. He had his first album in 1971 while he was teaching at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
. In the 1980s he toured in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
He also worked on the soundtrack for Roots (TV miniseries)
Roots (TV miniseries)
Roots is a 1977 American television miniseries based on Alex Haley's fictional novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family. Roots received 36 Emmy Award nominations, winning nine. It also won a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award. It received unprecedented Nielsen ratings with the finale still...
. Long before any of that he had been known in his native country. He did not fully live the tradition of a wandering musicians because he lost his leg at age 16, but by the mid-1960s became popular on radio. He attained enough respect to do an arrangement for their national anthem. In 1991 he died of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
after several years of illness.