featuring Sidy Maiga and Yacouba Diabate

Sidy Maiga is a Djembe Master from Mali. As a teenager, he apprenticed under some of Mali’s most renowned Master Drummers.  Sidy has been an active member of the local music scene, playing not only traditional Malian music, but also a fusion of Malian music with Latin, Blues, and Brazilian. His love for sharing his music and culture with the community inspired him to begin Afrika Nyaga, a West Africa Dance and Drum Festival. This festival brings together both local and international musicians and dancers to perform across Rhode Island. Maiga has received the MacColl-Johnson Fellowship (2012), the RISCA Folk Arts Fellowship (2012and 2022). Sidy has performed on stages with many international artists. Sidy has released two albums, Maliden (2011) and Africa United (2014), which features musicians from across the world. He’s now recording his third album. Maiga has since pushed his craft further by completing his degree at Berklee College of Music (2020), where he studied music production, business, and composition. Sidy’s djembe that he had been playing for over 20 years is currently being displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. For more information visit sidymaiga.com.

Yacouba Diabate is a master Kora player born in Burkina Faso, West Africa. His family, the Griot family, is well-known for its musical heritage. As a young adult, Yacouba studied the Kora in Mali with renowned Kora master Toumani Diabate. Yacouba has showcased his music in various countries including France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium, and the United States. Additionally, he crafts and sells traditional African string and percussion instruments, alongside teaching instrumental music to both youth and adults. Notably, Yacouba has performed for several world leaders at the United Nations in New York City.