Performing on the 21-string Mandinka Harp and the Turkish Oud, Kane Mathis renders compelling interpretations of these traditional musics. Years of study with generous masters have given Kane a rare opportunity to share these traditions with other cultures.
Kane began taking trips to The Gambia, West Africa in 1997 and has continued rigorous study of the Mandinka Kora. Over the past ten years his performances have earned him recognition by the Gambian president, The Gambian minister of culture, and both national television and radio of The Gambia.
Kane’s primary kora teachers are Malamini Jobarteh of Brikama, The Gambia and Moriba Kouyate of The Gambia. The Jobarteh family remain one of The Gambia’s most important musical legacies. Tata Din din Jobarteh, Pa Bobo Jobarteh, and Siffai Jobarteh are the families current most visible exponents touring the world.
Kane’s oud study began with Mutlu Torun of the I.T.U. conservatory in Istanbul and continued with 5 and a half years of courses with Oud virtuoso Münir Nurttin Beken.
Kane is available for performances for any context as well as lessons and lectures.
Kane Mathis has developed a remarkable mastery of Mande
music. Whether
playing solo kora or with his tight, trio of balafon, kora and
djembe
drum, he is a pleasure to hear. It is not only that Mathis is
comfortable and well versed in the Mande repertoire; it's that
when he
plays, he swings in exactly the right way, probably the
hardest thing
for an outsider to grasp in this rich, West African tradition.
Kora
music features improvisation, but like writing poetry in a
foreign
language, you have to follow the rules. Mathis manages this,
with
phrasing, accents, tone and riffs-even the fast ones-that feel
just
right
Read more
Kane Mathis has developed a remarkable mastery of Mande
music. Whether
playing solo kora or with his tight, trio of balafon, kora and
djembe
drum, he is a pleasure to hear. It is not only that Mathis is
comfortable and well versed in the Mande repertoire; it's that
when he
plays, he swings in exactly the right way, probably the
hardest thing
for an outsider to grasp in this rich, West African tradition.
Kora
music features improvisation, but like writing poetry in a
foreign
language, you have to follow the rules. Mathis manages this,
with
phrasing, accents, tone and riffs-even the fast ones-that feel
just
right. His sound is both authentic and spontaneous, good
enough to
sound like an insider, but relaxed and personal enough to be
far more
than polished mimicry. It is rare indeed for a non-African to
reach
this level in any African tradition, particularly such a subtle and
demanding one.
Banning Eyre, Senior Editor: Afropop Worldwide
afropop.org
Listening to Kane Mathis’ kora playing brings to mind Keith
Jarrett’s Koln Concert. Their instruments are similar: in
Mathis’ case, the kora is a 21-stringed West African harp that
he learned in Gambia. Take the guts out of Jarrett’s piano,
stand them up and pluck them, and you have the same idea.
Both performers employ gorgeous improvisation on top of
simple rhythms; their songs meander between chord and
melody, creating a continuous, crystalline drone.
Seattle Weekly: Erik Neumann
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Primary Instrument
Kora
Willing to teach
Intermediate to advanced
