Journey into Jarabi – Additional information and background 
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Journey Into Jarabi – exploring connection and belonging through music 
Journey into Jarabi is a collaborative music and creativity project led by Jude Winwood (kora, percussion, vocals), Tom Shawcroft (guitar), and Tatenda Chitsamba (percussion, vocals). Together with young people and community musicians, they have explored how music can connect us, inspire creativity, and give us space to reflect on what belonging means.
At the heart of this project is Jarabi – a much-loved piece of folk music within the West African repertoire of Jaliya (the traditional art of storytelling and music in Mandé cultures of West Africa) Rooted in Mandinka tradition, Jarabi translates as love and speaks of deep affection, commitment, and the joy of human connection. Over many decades, the piece has travelled far beyond its origins and has been reinterpreted by artists around the world, crossing cultures and musical styles while keeping its message at the centre.
In Journey into Jarabi, we honour the spirit of the song by using it as a starting point for our own exploration. Through exploring djembe drumming, guitar, kora, and shared creativity, participants have shaped their own responses to Jarabi - blending rhythm, melody, and reflection into something unique to this community. 
This performance is the culmination of that journey: an invitation to listen and to share in the sense of connection that Jarabi embodies, and to celebrate music’s power to bring people together.
Jaliya 
Jaliya is the hereditary art of music, storytelling, and oral history in Mandé cultures of West Africa. It is carried by Jalis (Jalolu) (sometimes called Griots), who are born into family lineages where music and words are passed down through generations.
The role of the Jali is more than performance: they are historians, poets, and mediators, entrusted with preserving memory, celebrating values, and guiding their communities through important moments in life.
Jaliya is closely associated with a family of instruments - the Kora (21-string harp-lute), Balafon (wooden xylophone), and Ngoni (lute), each one holding its own place in the tradition. Together, music and story create a living practice that continues to connect people today, reminding us that heritage is something carried in both sound and memory.
Click this link to watch a performance of Jarabi by master kora harpist Toumani Diabaté, one of the world’s most respected interpreters of this piece:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGFgaYgpOds