Derek Gripper LIVE at the Imaginarium

Derek Gripper is one of South Africa’s leading guitarists whose love of the kora set him transcribing and recording some of its greatest works, changing the face of classical guitar... ** Come join us at the Imaginarium, for a unique and magical gig out in the high reaches of Baskloof. Doors open 2pm,show starts at 3pm. Beautiful food on offer by Love Kos Mos & the KitchWitch Kitchen Teams. Hot drinks by Rodney. ** Fifteen years ago, Derek Gripper did what everyone said was impossible: he recorded the works of Mali's greatest virtuoso, Toumani Diabaté, on solo classical guitar. What followed has been an unusual career. A discography of nearly thirty albums moves from Diabaté to Bach to Arvo Pärt to Keith Jarrett-style improvisation. For this concert Derek focuses on kumbengo — the cyclical variations that sit at the heart of the West African tradition. These small, ancient kernels, are music that focuses the mind, soars to melodic heights, moves the body and aches the heart. Toumani Diabaté once showed the world that the virtuosity of Bach and modern jazz could live inside the Malian kora tradition. On this tour, the same richness arrives on a single guitar — one that has travelled from the recital hall into the wide and open fields of spontaneous musical creation. While these new performances continue to be attributed to their sources, the delivery now enters into the spirit of provisionality that was always inherent in the original music, and perhaps all music before writing fixes it. ***