Derek Gripper
An exotic blend of contemporary classical and traditional kora music, Derek Gripper’s mastery of his 6-string guitar is nothing short of miraculous.
Guitar legend John Williams thought transcribing the 21-string African kora to a classical 6-string guitar was an impossible task. Derek Gripper did it. It took 10 agonizing years. His effort has made him one of world music’s leading guitarists with two critically-acclaimed albums, One Night on Earth and Libraries on Fire. The latter of which received a Songlines award for “Best Album—Africa and Middle East” in 2017. His current tour explores the disparate styles that inform his work including Kora, Bach, South African jazz, and contemporary classical.
Co-presented with the Rogue Folk Club
