Foday Musa Suso

(he/him)

Composer
Gambia
The Sound of Science

Foday Musa Suso is an internationally recognized musician and a Mandingo griot - the historians and living libraries telling the stories of West Africa through both word and music. Born in 1950 and raised in rural Gambia - where he trained rigorously on the 21-stringed griot instrument called a kora - he relocated to the United States in the late 1970s, and soon after began collaborating with Herbie Hancock. He has since created and performed music with many others, including renowned composer Philip Glass and ensemble Kronos Quartet.