African Virtuoses

The African Virtuoses were a family of guitarists from Guinea in Africa. They were also known as “Virtuoses Diabate”, that featured brothers Sekou “Docteur” Diabete (born in Faranah, 1938), Sire Diabete (born in Danaba, 1947), and Abdoulaye (Diabete born in N’Zerekore, 1953), who moved to Los Angeles in the 1990s. The Diabate brothers are by birth jelis, hereditary professional musicians who trace their lineage back to the founding of the 13th century Mali empire, and are what the early French travelers to the region called griots.