Chet Corpt, who has been studying and playing the kora for six years, is playing a free in-store performance tonight at Wall of Sound, 7 pm. Also on display will be recent works by Colleen Kinsella, which you can see here. Kinsella has done poster and album cover art for Cerberus Shoal, Big Blood, Vialka and Sun City Girls, among others.

Press Release after the jump.

ART OPENING & IN STORE PERFORMANCE: Friday March 6th @ 7pm

This will be a special combined art opening and in store performance!
Please come enjoy the art and music with us on Friday March 6th @ 7pm

"The Extended Garden"
Recent works by Colleen Kinsella
Colleen Kinsella, artist, printmaker and musician presents a series of etchings and screen prints on paper exploring architecture, humans, demons and folklore. Her work is on display at the International Print Center in NY and Chicago. She is best known for her album and poster art for Cerberus Shoal, Big Blood, Vialka and Sun City Girls.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/colleenkinsella/

Chet Corpt
SOLO KORA PERFORMANCE
Chet began his study of kora, the 21 stringed harp of W. Africa, and Mandinka music locally with acknowledged American kora master, Kane Mathis. He later made two month long trips to Brikama, Gambia to live and study with two kora masters and griots, Malamini Jobarteh and Moriba Kuyateh. The kora is originally from the Gambia region, although, at present, it's most popular performers are from Mali, namely, Toumani Diabate and Mamadou Diabate. Chet has been playing kora for six years.

A kora is built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator, and has a notched bridge like a lute or guitar. The sound of a kora resembles that of a harp, though when played in the traditional style, it bears a closer resemblance to flamenco and delta blues guitar techniques. The player uses only the thumb and index finger of both hands to pluck the strings in polyrhythmic patterns (using the remaining fingers to secure the instrument by holding the hand posts on either side of the strings). Ostinato riffs ("Kumbengo") and improvised solo runs ("Birimintingo") are played at the same time by skilled players. The instrument is played in Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Senegal, and The Gambia. A traditional kora player is called a Jali, similar to a 'bard' or oral historian.

Wall of Sound
315 E. Pine St.
Seattle, WA 98122
206 441 9880
Mon - Sat 11am to 7 pm
Sun - 12 noon to 6pm
http://www.wosound.com/