-- Herbie Hancock

Foday Musa Suso is an internationally recognized musician and a Mandingo griot (musician/oral historian of the Mandingo people) born in The Gambia. Suso grew up in a society where griots function as walking libraries, singing their stories for the community while providing history, wisdom, and entertainment. In addition to his virtuosic kora (West African 21-stringed harp lute) playing and singing, Suso is also a drummer and composer. He left his homeland after years of rigorous study and established himself in Chicago in the 1970's.

Since that time he has performed throughout Africa , Asia , Europe and North America . Interested in both traditional and cutting edge idioms, Suso has toured and recorded with many prominent musicians including Herbie Hancock, Philip Glass, Pharoah Sanders, Ginger Baker and Medeski, Martin and Wood.

DeJohnette and Suso first met backstage at a Phillip Glass concert in London 's Festival Hall. They decided to work together, and in January 2002, Suso came to upstate New York . The duo spent only four days in the studio, including two days of rehearsal and jamming. In this short but intense session, "From the Hearts of the Masters" was created.

From the Hearts of the Masters contains deep, mesmeric grooves and passages of inspired improvisational dialogue. It is accessible to the listener on many different levels, both crossing and transcending musical genres such as "world beat", "global chill" and "contemporary improvised music."

These two undisputed masters of their instruments create a sublime interplay; DeJohnette's "melodic" approach to the drum set is the perfect complement to Suso's virtuosic kora playing.

Listen to a sample:
Ocean Wave
Ancient Techno