Folk Bands and Artists
Moussa Dembele
Moussa Dembele is a multi-instrumentalist of African instruments, music teacher and highly skilled master craftsman of African instruments. He was born and raised in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso in West Africa. For Dembele, music really does run in his blood. He comes from a family of musicians and craftsmen that have been producing traditional musical instruments for generations . Having had these unique skills passed down to him from a very young age, he has been creating high quality, hand crafted instruments for over twenty years. These include the Balafon (african xylophone) Ngoni (african lute), Kora (african harp), Djembe(drum) and Doum Doum (bass drum).
As a musician, Dembele has toured extensively throughout Africa, Europe and Israel, in particular with his previous band – ‘Koroleko’. He also spent many years based in Ghana where he played balafon for the renowned Pan-African Orchestra. In addition to the Balafon, he also plays the Kora and Ngoni to high level as well as Djembe and Doum Doum.
Over the years he has collaborated with many musicians from varying musical genres including jazz and pop as well as traditional and contemporary African music. Additionally he also taught, as a a guest teacher, in the music department of Ghana University. Now based in London Dembele is passionate about sharing his knowledge and skills with fellow musicians and lovers of traditional African instruments and in doing so he is keen to further promote his rich culture and musical traditions.
