Jazz, Congolese rumba, rock and roll, Guinean dance bands, Cuban music, and their own imagination: the string players in Guitari Baro (meaning guitar conversations) take inspiration from everywhere. Unique is their own sound, with two acoustic guitars and balafon, the traditional West African percussion instrument. Dazzling runs and unexpected harmonies are mixed with interlocking and flowery melodic lines into a hypnotizing whole. And on stage they continue to move into surprising directions.

The three members of Guitari Bario descend from griots, the storytellers of their surroundings. In this tradition the balafon has been used for centuries as an accompanying instrument. In the 1930s the griots in the Mande region switched to acoustic guitars. This led to a style that is characteristic of the surrounding area. Guitari Baro’s balafon player Lassana Diabaté was part of Toumani Diabaté’s Symmetric Orchestra, Afrocubism and Trio Da Kali. With guitarists Gaoussou Kouyaté and Kerfala Diabaté he recorded the first album under the name Guitari Baro.

Fodé Lassana Diabaté balafon, Gaoussou Kouyaté guitar, Kerfala Diabaté guitar