Foday Musa Suso, dies at 75
Foday Musa Suso, a griot, kora master, and visionary composer who bridged West African traditions with global music through collaborations with artists like Herbie Hancock and Philip Glass, died on May 25 in Gambia at age 75. His mentee, percussionist Stefan Monssen, confirmed the death, noting Suso had been in poor health following a stroke.
Born into a family of griots — traditional West African storytellers and musicians — Suso traced his lineage to Jeli Madi Wlen Suso, the man believed to have invented the kora. His musical education began at age 6 and followed Mande custom: he studied under his uncle rather than his father. By 18, he had been confirmed as a griot and began teaching kora at the University of Ghana.
Determined to modernize and globalize traditional West African music, Suso added three bass strings to the kora’s standard 21 to increase its rhythmic range. He mastered multiple traditional instruments — including balafon, ngoni, and talking drum — and later embraced synthesizers and electronics after moving to the United States.
Influenced by Jimi Hendrix and James Brown, Suso envisioned his music reaching global audiences. In 1984, he gained international attention by collaborating with Herbie Hancock on the Olympic theme “Junku.” That session led to multiple recordings and performances with Hancock, including the albums Village Life (1985) and Jazz Africa (1987).
Suso’s commitment to tradition remained firm. “What I play today comes from my village griot background,” he said. Even after decades abroad, he could return to a Gambian village, pick up his kora, and perform as if he’d never left. His global travels never compromised his cultural roots.
In the 1970s, he formed Mandingo Griot Society with percussionist Adam Rudolph and others. Their fusion of kora music with jazz and funk broke new ground. Their debut album in 1978 featured trumpeter Don Cherry. The group would later evolve into “Mandingo featuring Foday Musa Suso,” incorporating synthesizers and heavier bass elements.
Suso recorded his first album, Kora Music From the Gambia, in 1976, followed by solo projects like Hand Power (1984), Mansa Bendung (1986), and The Two Worlds (2008). He also performed with his uncle, Mande vocalist Tamba Suso, preserving family traditions in modern contexts.
A prolific collaborator, Suso partnered with Philip Glass for nearly four decades, scoring films like Powaqqatsi and staging works like The Screens. Their joint Olympic commission Orion in 2004 reflected their seamless musical synergy. Glass later introduced Suso to the Kronos Quartet, leading to a feature on their acclaimed album Pieces of Africa.
Other collaborators included jazz greats like Jack DeJohnette and Pharoah Sanders, rock drummer Ginger Baker, and P-Funk’s Bernie Worrell. Wherever he went, Suso adapted his griot legacy to new genres without diluting its essence, creating musical hybrids neither he nor his partners could have imagined alone.
Suso lived in Chicago, then Seattle, Atlanta, and New Haven before returning permanently to Gambia in 2021. He continued composing and mentoring until his health declined. His work shaped how the world heard African music — not as a relic, but as a living, evolving force.
He is survived by his wife, Bobo Suso; his daughters, Jali Neneh and Fatou; sons, Bah Seikou, Bah Lamin, and Ousman Kebbi; siblings Dembo and Tida Kanuteh; and four grandchildren. Through his art, Foday Musa Suso ensured that griot music would not only endure but thrive on a global stage.
