Balafon

The balafon is a precursor to the vibraphone in jazz. ❋ Unknown (2009)

He was playing with a much younger man who was playing a kind of balafon, the African instrument from which the marimba was developed. ❋ Walter Jon Williams (2007)

He began by playing balafon , a wooden-keyed xylophone, with no thoughts of musical styles. ❋ Larry Blumenfeld (2011)

The instrumental passages allowed all the musicians to solo, with no more emphasis on such traditional instruments as balafon a wooden-keyed xylophone and congas than electric guitar and bass. ❋ Mark Jenkins (2011)

The numbers are mostly standards, but none emerge unchanged by the transatlantic dialogue between the masters of kora, balafon and tres guitar. ❋ Neil Spencer (2010)

Fassery Diabate on balafon , which is an African kin to a xylophone, and Mr. Segal on cello, double Mr. Sissoko's stately lines. ❋ Jim Fusilli (2011)

The pentatonic piano figures — meant to evoke an African balafon — and swift 6/8 rhythm of the opening track, "Lady Sings the Blues," sound less like an homage to Holiday's music than an extension of Ms. Bridgewater's previous CD, "Red Earth," for which the singer immersed herself in the musical traditions of Mali. ❋ Larry Blumenfeld (2010)

Saxon Lee & The Shadows International's slow funk, "Mind Your Business," is perhaps this comp's most revered find, although the sax playing countering the balafon on Bongos Ikwue & The Groovies '"Otachikpopo" is prime material. ❋ Unknown (2010)

Indeed, the lilt and lyricism of Malian music courses powerfully through even the Cuban songs on " AfroCubism, " due in part to the presence of griot singer Kasse Mady Diabat é , Toumani Diabat é — a virtuoso of the harp-like kora — and balafon player Lassan Diabat é . ❋ Larry Blumenfeld (2010)

Djabaté's family arrived in Guinea-Bissau via Mali, longtime breeding ground of griots, and the youngster picked up balafon at three and later kora -- both instruments, as well as his lush, spacious vocals, grabbing you right away on "Kodé." ❋ Unknown (2009)

There were no vibes, an occasional kalimba not nearly doing the justice that a balafon might. ❋ Unknown (2009)

He plays an 800-year old balafon that's been in his family for generations. ❋ Unknown (2008)

Mory Kante is a guitarist, singer, and balafon player following the popular West African griot tradition. ❋ Unknown (2007)

He was already established as a kora and balafon player in Africa. ❋ Unknown (2004)

This song is based on a rhythm I played on the balafon, using bones as mallets. ❋ Unknown (1991)