You’ve got great taste.
Sign in to follow your favorite artists, save events, & more.
Sign In
Get Tickets
Tickets
About this concert
Derek Gripper is one of South Africa’s leading guitarists whose love of the kora set him transcribing and recording some of its greatest works, changing the face of classical guitar… When Gripper released “One Night on Earth,” his first album of kora translations, classical guitar legend John Williams said he thought it was “absolutely impossible until I heard Derek Gripper do it,” while kora maestro Toumani Diabaté asked for confirmation that it was indeed just one person playing. Both invited Derek to collaborate with them: Derek performed with Williams in London’s Shakespeare’s Globe and King’s Place, and with Diabaté and his Symmetric Orchestra at the Acoustik Festival Bamako, Mali. His 2016 Carnegie Hall debut paired him with Mali’s Trio da Kali, and the UK’s Songlines honoured him with best album in Africa and the Middle East for his 2016 album “Libraries on Fire.” Since these two recordings put kora/guitar translations on the map, his recent recordings “A Year of Swimming” (2020), “Billy Goes to Durban,” (2021) and “Sleep Songs for My Daughter” (2022), have incorporated elements of his kora explorations in original compositions and improvisations, captured on tape in the field and in studio, while his Bach recordings have shown that African music has a lot to teach us about recapturing the natural simplicity of early European music. Touring globally from his home in Cape Town, Gripper is collaborating with Malian kora master Ballaké Sissoko on a new duo project, and recording for the record label Platoon.
Show More
Find a place to stay
Live Photos
View All Photos
What fans are saying
Carlo
April 11th 2025
Amazing artistry and musical creation both from Derek and Guy
Salem, OR@Salem's Historic Grand Theatre
Easily follow your favorite artists by syncing your music
Sync Music
Share Event
Derek Gripper Biography
Derek Gripper is a globally renowned South African guitarist who has rewritten the narrative of classical guitar by infusing it with the sounds of the West African kora.
Gripper’s transformative journey began with the release of “One Night on Earth,” his translations of the music of kora virtuoso Toumani Diabaté. Celebrated classical guitarist John Williams said it seemed “absolutely impossible until I heard Derek Gripper do it,” leading to collaborations with this icon of the guitar at London’s Shakespeare’s Globe, as well as a collaboration with Toumani Diabaté at The Festival Acoustik in Bamako, Mali. Even Gripper’s debut at the revered Carnegie Hall saw him performing alongside Mali’s Trio da Kali, an endorsement of his revolutionary approach.
Recent recordings like “A Year of Swimming,” “Billy Goes to Durban,” and his latest album with kora master Ballaké Sissoko, introduce original compositions and improvisations, each a testament to his dedication to evolving and challenging his musical style. Moreover, his recordings of the solo works of J.S. Bach have been a fascinating study in the symbiosis of African music and early European melodies, revealing the freedom and universality of one of Europe’s great improvising musicians.
"A New African String Theory" captures the essence of the human experience in the importance of rediscovering ourselves through dialogue.
The great Malian kora player Toumani passed away unexpectedly in July of 2024. To commemorate the passing of one of Africa’s great virtuosos, Derek will perform the five compositions off Toumani’s debut album “Kaira” in a brand new, never before performed, rendition of these classics of the West African repertoire.
Read MoreGripper’s transformative journey began with the release of “One Night on Earth,” his translations of the music of kora virtuoso Toumani Diabaté. Celebrated classical guitarist John Williams said it seemed “absolutely impossible until I heard Derek Gripper do it,” leading to collaborations with this icon of the guitar at London’s Shakespeare’s Globe, as well as a collaboration with Toumani Diabaté at The Festival Acoustik in Bamako, Mali. Even Gripper’s debut at the revered Carnegie Hall saw him performing alongside Mali’s Trio da Kali, an endorsement of his revolutionary approach.
Recent recordings like “A Year of Swimming,” “Billy Goes to Durban,” and his latest album with kora master Ballaké Sissoko, introduce original compositions and improvisations, each a testament to his dedication to evolving and challenging his musical style. Moreover, his recordings of the solo works of J.S. Bach have been a fascinating study in the symbiosis of African music and early European melodies, revealing the freedom and universality of one of Europe’s great improvising musicians.
"A New African String Theory" captures the essence of the human experience in the importance of rediscovering ourselves through dialogue.
The great Malian kora player Toumani passed away unexpectedly in July of 2024. To commemorate the passing of one of Africa’s great virtuosos, Derek will perform the five compositions off Toumani’s debut album “Kaira” in a brand new, never before performed, rendition of these classics of the West African repertoire.
Classical Crossover
Guitar Virtuoso
Instrumental
African
Follow artist