The article explores the balafon, a traditional West African xylophone with over 800 years of history, primarily linked to the Mande culture in Guinea and surrounding regions. It highlights the role of the Griot, the oral historians who preserve cultural traditions, and details the balafon’s construction, tuning, and unique sound. The piece features Famoro Dioubate, a prominent Griot and balafon player, known for his blend of traditional and modern music, who will conduct a clinic at PASIC 2024 to demonstrate the instrument’s techniques and repertoire.

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The balafon, a West African xylophone, is a very old instrument dating back more than 800 years. First made in the times of the Original Mande region of West Africa (present-day Guinea, Gambia, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, and Mali), the Susu (Sosso) bala is played primarily in Guinea and considered the first instrument of the Mande Jeli (“Griot” in French). The Griot are the oral historians for the culture, responsible for knowing the history, lineage, and traditions of each family name within the country. This is why the Griot is respected and called upon by all for important occasions, celebrations, and holidays. The Griot are the keepers of the history and culture. Traditionally, the repertoire of the bala from Guinea is vast, containing hundreds of songs and folklore. Although anyone can learn to play the bala, to be a Griot, one must be born into it. 

Handmade from Hare Wood, a very dense hardwood found in Guinea, West Africa, the bars are smoked and cured, then cut and shaved (similar to that of the marimba) in order to obtain their pitch and durability. The balafon is amplified by small gourds underneath the keys, and traditionally have small layers of pressed spider webs over holes to create a unique buzzing sound (although now plastic and paper can be used). This gives more resonance and sustain to the music. 

The bala has 21 notes and uses a seven-note scale with bars tied to a bamboo frame. Traditionally, each village will have its own tuning; however, in more modern times, people in cities are using more major Western scales, like D, C, or G Major. This allows them to travel and play with other musicians as well as other instruments such as guitar, piano, electric bands, etc. While the bala can be played in any ensemble configuration, it is traditionally found in an ensemble with three to four other bala players plus a dundun (bass drum) and djembe to help give rhythm foundation to the music. One can also see singers, the African flute, and the Kora (21-string Africa Harp) in the ensemble. 

Professional players use a variety of techniques, including press tones, extreme rhythmic independence, dexterity, and stick control to produce a vast array of sounds. Although it looks like a simple keyboard, the bala takes years of training. When compared to a piano or marimba, which has accidentals on a separate manual, the balafon has all bars on the same manual, so it is easy to become lost when moving around the instrument. 

Famoro Dioubate was born in 1965 in Conakry, Guinea as a Griot, and is the grandson of El Hadj Djelli Sory Kouyate, a living legend of the Mandeng balafon. Famoro was the understudy of his grandfather in the Ensemble Instrumental National (National ensemble of Guinea) and routinely performed for the President and visiting foreign dignitaries, as well as a multitude of musical engagements and collaboration. He was a member of the famous Mory Kante’s orchestra for the performances and recording of the “Traditional Symphonie.” 

In addition, Famoro is a traditional musician, steeped in the folklore, and he plays more modern music, collaborating with musicians from all over the world. He composes, arranges, produces, and records for others as well as his own projects. Living in New York City since the late 1990s, Famoro is in high demand as a free-lance musician, playing everywhere from nightclubs to Carnegie Hall.

Famoro will give a clinic at PASIC 2024 joined by other Wula Drum artists, including Master Drummer M’bemba Bangoura, Fara Camara, and Michael Markus. During the clinic, Famoro will play traditional music from Guinea, demonstrate and explain the unique techniques used, the basics of the instrument and nuances for learning it, as well as the rich vast variety of songs and rhythms applied. Please join us!