Senegalese musician Diabel Cissokho comes from a well known griot family originating from Mali. Surrounded by a rich musical heritage and a family of musicians, he began playing the kora at the age of nine. Growing up in Dakar he played in his family's band playing many traditional instruments. However his talent for playing the kora was clear. For two - three years he was the kora player for the internationally renowned Baba Maal and has supported and played with numerous other artists in concert venues and festivals across the world. These include; Nuru Kane, Abdou Diop, Kandia Kouyate and Mama Draba. He was also part of a special concert at the Barbican in London, performing alongside Femi Kuti and his band, Cheikh Lo and Manu Dibango. Diabel's virtuosic talent, as well as his expressiveness and sensitivity when playing has brought him much respect amongst his fellow musicians, who cross many genres of music from traditional African, to jazz and Afro-beat. Currently he is working on his own material in which he fuses his love of traditional and world music, taking inspiration from his heritage and from his faith in Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Bamke (Mouride).