DJAN DJAN

The 10 track Djan Djan album will be released on the 5th March by ABC/Universal accompanied by a month long national tour of Australia & NZ... See below for details and a great youtube clip.

Mamadou Diabate (kora, Mali), Bobby Singh (tabla, India) and Jeff Lang (guitar, Australia) are well known and well regarded for their individual output and careers. Djan Djan is a new collaboration which sees these musicians stretching their imagination and skills into sublime areas of new musicality. Although the players show their respects to their cultural backgrounds of Africa, India and Australia; the music of Djan Djan stands alone as a uniquely new sound. Djan Djan sees these virtuosic instrumentalists dispense and intoxicating music - steeped in tradition, yet brimming with innovation.

Djan Djan: An album by Mamadou Diabate, Bobby Singh & Jeff Lang

When the three musicians met in 2008, no one could quite predict the musical alchemy that would occur as a result. A spontaneous day of recording at Melbourne's 30 Mill Studios lead to an astonishingly beautiful and surprisingly natural recording that displays the conversational and virtuosic style that all three are renowned for. Originally the self titled debut released was an EP, which is now, out of print. The band recorded 5 more songs in November of 2008 and the results will be bundled with the previous EP to create the album.

Mamadou Diabate was destined to play the kora. Cousin of legendary kora player Toumani Diabate, who was one of his most influential teachers, Mamadou was born and raised in the griot tradition of Mali, using music and oratory to preserve his people's consciousness of their past. From his Grammy-award nominated solo album, to his latest release Douga Mansa (King Vulture), Mamadou's technical virtuosity and innovative approach have kept him in high demand internationally.

Bobby Singh spent much of his childhood in Mumbai studying tabla. Recognised with a great talent, Bobby is the disciple of Aneesh Pradhan, one of the world's most sought after tabla players. Nurtured into a mature, internationally renowned tabla virtuoso, both in traditional Indian and cross-cultural genres, Bobby has played with many of the top musicians in Australia and the world.

Jeff Lang has earned worldwide acclaim as a guitarist, dynamic songwriter and startlingly unique live performer, defying description and genres. His intuitive and idiosyncratic instrumental virtuosity are supported by songs that expand the boundaries of traditional folk, country and blues, creating a new blend of music which is undeniably and deeply steeped in tradition, yet with its vision set on future horizons. As an instrumental storyteller, Lang gives the guitar a voice and then makes it sing.

For more info, contact Jordan Verzar or for publicity contact Chrissie Vincent

STOP PRESS: MAMADOU DIABATE'S SOLO ALBUM, "DOUGA MANSA" RECENTLY WON A GRAMMY FOR BEST TRADITIONAL WORLD MUSIC ALBUM.

Djan Djan March 2010 Tour Dates