Born in southern Senegal (Bignona / Casamance) as the son of the griot, kora player and singer Boubacar Diabaté.
Like any griot child, he was taught early on how to play the kora, sing and tell stories, as well as mystical tales of his culture. His first teacher was his uncle Lankandia Cissokho.
In addition to playing the kora and the songs that go with it, he also learned to play the Soruba drums, typical drums of southern Senegal at traditional festivals.
Later he played in the theater and music group Kansala in Dakar. The group won 1st prize at a national competition in Dakar.
In Dakar he played with the famous actress Awa Sene Sarr in her group Petawe Production.
He gave lessons in acting and traditional songs at the school L'Imamou Laye in Dakar.
Married in 2001 and moved to Germany.
In Baden-Württemberg countless workshops at adult education centers and schools for Djembé and Kora.
2007/2008 Two concerts in Canada (Montreal) at the festival "Nuit d'Afrique".
Bands
- Kandara Diebaté & ses amis (Tübingen)
- Argile (Nürnberg)
- Bekady (Stuttgart)
- Kaira Tilò (Tübingen)
- SAF NAMA (Reutlingen)
- Nomad (Ludwigsburg)
- Orchestra of Cultures (Stuttgart / Italy)
- Przemyslaw Straczek Cultural Concept (Poland)
- Hamid Baroudi (Hamburg)
TV/Radio appearances
- 2007 Radio Montréal
- 2009 with Kaira Tilò on Bavarian Television
- 2020 with U. Branscheid-Kouyaté and the "Vaccination Song"
- 2021 Orchestra of Cultures on hr
Discography
- Przemysław Strączek – Cultural Concept (2022)
- Orchester der Kulturen – A World Symphony (2021)
- Kandara Diebaté & Nomad – Horoya (2019)
- Kandara Diebaté – Memoir à Boubacar (2018)
- Kandara Diebaté & Nomad – Kuma (2013)
- Kandara Diebaté & ses amis – Dunya (2010)
- Kaira Tiló – Voyage (2009)
- Kora meets Jazz (2008)
Publications
- Ursula Branscheid-Diebaté, Kandara Diebaté – Djembé III und Kora (2003)
- Ursula Branscheid-Diebaté, Kandara Diebaté – Djembé-Ratgeber (2007)