Preserving her musical past, Sona Jobarteh innovates to support a more humanitarian future. The spirit of Sona Jobarteh’s musical work stands on the mighty shoulders of The West African Griot Tradition; she is a living archive of the Gambian people. With one ear on the family’s historic reputation, one on the all-important future legacy and her heart in both places, she is preparing a place today for the next generation. Her singing and Kora playing while fronting her band, spring directly from this tradition.

Sona Jobarteh has performed to crowds from the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles to Symphony Space in New York, and she’s sold out the Barbican in London, Cologne’s Philharmonie, and the Seine Musicale in Paris. These performances are underpinned by her skills as a composer arising from her early days at London’s RCM and Purcell School of Music.

Her dedication to spreading powerful humanitarian messages through her songs and her stage performances led Jobarteh to give back to her community in other ways. She is active in social change and leads by her own example. Sona founded The Gambia Academy, a pioneering institution dedicated to achieving educational reform across the continent of Africa.

Sponsored by SAMA

About Earshot Jazz

Earshot Jazz cultivates a vibrant jazz community to ensure the legacy and progression of the art form by engaging audiences, celebrating artists, and supporting arts education.

Presented by Earshot Jazz.

If you have questions about the event, please contact Earshot directly at info@earshot.org or by phone at (206) 547-6763