Aba Diop is a master percussionist, composer and arranger in an unbroken ancestral line of Senegalese griots: the wisdom-keepers and cultural lineage-holders foundational to African societies.

The griot knows stories, poetry, dances and songs that communicate generations’ worth of knowledge. Aba as a griot shares this cultural knowledge primarily through sabar—a type of drum played by his father, his grandparents, his grandparents’ parents, and so on. 

Aba brings the lifeways from thousands of years into the 21st century, embodying the deep roots of all modern music. From playing in a traditional sabar ensemble, to collaborating with world-class artists such as  Yo-Yo Ma, to directing music at Kehinde Wiley’s Black Rock Artist Residency, he brings viscerally-compelling electricity and unparalleled musicianship to all his work.

In short, Aba was born to play sabar and to share his craft with others.