![]() In addition to the kora, she is a proficient guitarist. She went on to study composition at the Purcell School of Music. She attended the Royal College of Music, studying cello, piano and harpsichord. When she was four she performed at the Jazz Café in London. Sona formally studied music in both English universities and Gambian villages. But she is much, much more than a novelty act. ![]() Sona has spent significant time in both England and Gambia, and is considered the first major female kora player. ![]() She is the cousin of celebrated kora master Toumani Diabate and is also the sister of Tunde Jegede who directs the African Classical Music Ensemble, with whom Sona tours. In Gambia he was acclaimed as a major griot and kora player. She is the granddaughter of Amadu Bansang Jobarteh, who migrated from Mali to Gambia. Sona Jobarteh is a quintessential example of this development. Although they may specialize in a particular musical genre, their work reflects diverse influences even as it champions an African essence. Most of them are at least bilingual, and many of them are tri- and multi-lingual. A number of them are of mixed racial heritage but all of them strongly identified with their African heritages (both directly from the motherland continent of Africa and via the various diaspora homelands, particularly Brazil and the Caribbean. “Afropean” is a new term for European born/African heritage people.
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