Biography
Hailing from Wassoulou in southern Mali, Kokanko Sata, a mother of three, defied local conventions by mastering the kamalngoni, an eight-string harp long reserved for men. Viewed across Mali as a strictly male domain, the instrument forced her to construct her own version and, with no men prepared to offer guidance, acquire its skills through solitary effort. Involvement followed when Damon Albarn of Blur visited her homeland to record an album, resulting in her appearance on the self-titled 2002 release by his Mali Music project—the debut issued on the Brit-pop singer’s Honest Jon label. She issued her own self-titled full-length on the imprint in 2006.
Albums