Bagad St Nazaire, also known as Bagad St Nazer is group of musicians from - you guessed it - St Nazaire, a seaport on the Brittany coast of France who play traditional Breton music, using traditional instruments, logically enough. 30 musicians came to New York for the St Patrick's Day Parade. The also performed at Symphony Space, Club Shrine in Harlem (a venue to keep in mind) and at Connolly's 45th Street.
Diabatela is made up of two griots from Burkina Fasso, Yacouba Diabate (Kora and vocals) and Mamoudou Konate (percussions)
The kora is a 21 string instrument made from a large calabash gourd covered with cow skin. It is widely used in Western Africa.
The griots follow a family tradition of storytelling, music and genealogy and are keepers of the culure and traditions.
These pictures are from a performance at the Shrine Club in Manhattan, April 30, 2009.