Sona Jobarteh is the first female virtuoso player of the kora, a traditional African instrument. Now one of the world's foremost kora players, her mastery is made more remarkable when considering how complex the instrument is. https://cbsn.ws/3AheyTQ | 60 Minutes

Exploring the sounds of the kora, a 21-stringed West African instrument with deep cultural roots. Played by griots, it tells stories of tradition and history 🎶✨🔥🪕🇲🇱 Credit @mamidiarraofficiel | We Are Africa

The kora is described as a cross between a harp, lute and guitar. It's part of a musical tradition passed down exclusively from father to son in a special set of families in West Africa. Sunday, Lesley Stahl speaks with Sona Jobarteh the first female virtuoso player. https://cbsn.ws/3hxkpxS | 60 Minutes

The Kora isn't just an instrument-it's a portal to history. Played for centuries by West African griots, this 21-string harp-lute weaves intricate, flowing melodies with both hands working in perfect polyrhythmic harmony. Traditionally tuned with rawhide rings, modern koras often use guitar-style machine heads for precision. Some say the first kora belonged to a mystical river spirit before being passed to musicians. From Mali to the world, it now bridges tradition with jazz, classical, and even