You’ve got great taste.
Sign in to follow your favorite artists, save events, & more.
Sign In
Derek Gripper
2,488 Followers
• 15 Upcoming Shows
15 Upcoming Shows
Never miss another Derek Gripper concert. Get alerts about tour announcements, concert tickets, and shows near you with a free Bandsintown account.
Follow
No upcoming shows in your city
Send a request to Derek Gripper to play in your city
Request a Show
concerts and tour dates
Upcoming
Past
all concerts & live streams
Show More Dates (15)
Derek Gripper's tour
Fan Reviews
Rich
July 1st 2024
Fabulous and transportational concert from Derek in the lovely setting of St John the Evangelist church. Derek's playing really takes me to a special place, so glad to have seen him on this tour, thanks Derek!
Oxford, United Kingdom@SJE Arts
Sheryl D
June 20th 2024
This concert was not to be missed. The audience from Cape Town sat with rapt attention throughout, mesmerised by the flawless mastery and exquisite melodies played by of two of Africas incredible string players. African music at its best!
Cape Town, South Africa@Baxter Theatre Centre
View More Fan Reviews
Fans Also Follow
Tinariwen
101K Followers
Follow
Khruangbin
384K Followers
Follow
Julian Lage
42K Followers
Follow
Guy Buttery
2K Followers
Follow
Bombino
44K Followers
Follow
About Derek Gripper
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.
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.
Show More
Genres:
Instrumental, Classical Crossover, African, Guitar Virtuoso
Hometown:
Cape Town, South Africa
No upcoming shows in your city
Send a request to Derek Gripper to play in your city
Request a Show
concerts and tour dates
Upcoming
Past
all concerts & live streams
Show More Dates (15)
Derek Gripper's tour
Fan Reviews
Rich
July 1st 2024
Fabulous and transportational concert from Derek in the lovely setting of St John the Evangelist church. Derek's playing really takes me to a special place, so glad to have seen him on this tour, thanks Derek!
Oxford, United Kingdom@SJE Arts
Sheryl D
June 20th 2024
This concert was not to be missed. The audience from Cape Town sat with rapt attention throughout, mesmerised by the flawless mastery and exquisite melodies played by of two of Africas incredible string players. African music at its best!
Cape Town, South Africa@Baxter Theatre Centre
View More Fan Reviews
About Derek Gripper
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.
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.
Show More
Genres:
Instrumental, Classical Crossover, African, Guitar Virtuoso
Hometown:
Cape Town, South Africa
Fans Also Follow
Tinariwen
101K Followers
Follow
Khruangbin
384K Followers
Follow
Julian Lage
42K Followers
Follow
Guy Buttery
2K Followers
Follow
Bombino
44K Followers
Follow
Get the full experience with the Bandsintown app.