Jaliyaa Kumbengo – West African Community Event

LIVE MUSIC, WORKSHOP & CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

Running from 6:00pm to 10:30pm, the programme is open to the general public and unfolds across multiple moments:

From 6:00pm, audiences can explore:

• a pop-up photographic exhibition tracing Sefo’s artistic journey and griot lineage

• a relaxed social environment within one of South London’s long-standing grassroots music & community venues

A participatory music workshop takes place from 6:30–7:30pm (additional cost, limited spaces).
The session focuses on improvisation and fusion, welcoming all levels. Around 10 koras will be available to use, and participants are encouraged to bring their own string or small percussion instruments, or simply take part through voice and rhythm.

Following a short break, the evening culminates in a live performance from 8:30–10:30pm by Sefo Kanuteh & Meriya Band featuring Jali Musa Jobarteh, blending traditional Mandinka music with contemporary influences for a vibrant and unique concert.

Rooted in the griot tradition, Jaliyaa Kumbengo positions music as a living archive, carrying memory, identity and collective knowledge across generations, while opening space for new connections through participation.

About the artists

Sefo Kanuteh is a UK-based Gambian griot, rooted in a multigenerational Mandinka lineage of kora and balafon players. His work bridges tradition and contemporary practice through performance, education and community-based programmes, with recent support from Arts Council England to expand access to culturally grounded artistic experiences across the UK.

Jali Musa Jobarteh is a master griot musician from The Gambia, carrying one of West Africa’s most respected kora traditions. Known for his expressive playing and deep knowledge of Mandinka repertoire, this tour marks his UK debut, bringing an authentic intergenerational exchange to new audiences.

Meriya Band brings together a collective of musicians supporting Sefo’s sound, blending traditional West African instrumentation with contemporary arrangements to create a dynamic live experience.