Music From the Strings of Mali – Derek Gripper Review

[Music; South Africa] Woodville Town Hall, Fri 19 Jan Mali is a country in West Africa. It is one of a group of countries that are home to the kora, or African harp. The kora is a traditional instrument with 21 strings arranged in a circle around a gourd at its base. They are a beautiful sounding instrument and in their homelands were associated with storytelling. Derek Gripper is from South Africa and has obviously travelled extensively in his musical explorations and now as the instrumentalist who brings us “Music from the Strings from Mali”. Promotion of his concerts concentrates on the fact that he has rearranged kora music for the guitar – and that is what reeled me in and had me wanting to hear him. I’m glad it did – it was a fine concert – but it was disappointing to discover that only a fraction of his concert featured music adapted from the kora. Felt a little like false advertising really but maybe I just missed the fine print. Derek Gripper is a fine guitarist. His concert featured original material, some pieces from classical guitar composers, and pieces by Bach. All of which were enjoyable, but it was indeed the pieces adapted from the kora that were the more memorable. Not surprisingly I first heard kora music at Womadelaide and was smitten on first take. It has this superb mellifluous effect of strings washing over you, while also enabling foot tapping rhythms. It’s a delicious combination and Gripper does a nice job of explaining how the kora weaves its magic. Fittingly, following in the storytelling tradition of the original kora players, Gripper is actually quite chatty between songs. Loved his reflection about Bach writing in a time before clocks and metronomes – before the age of time in effect – and what effect that might have on composers. Timeless might be a good adjective to describe the kora actually. Its rich resonance and flowing melodies has a tendency to carry you away to a place less conscious if you let it. Gripper has done a wonderful job of re-arranging music played on a 21 string instrument for the six string guitar. His classical nylon string guitar is loaded up with lots of echo and reverb but it sounds uncannily like the kora. I just wanted to hear more of it. Great to see a suburban town hall full for such an event, and kudos to the promoters for making use of such venues. 3.5 stars Michael Coghlan Music from the Strings of Mali has concluded its Adelaide concerts. Interstate dates and tickets available HERE