BAMAKO — Toumani Diabaté, a legendary Malian kora player, died on Friday at the age of 58. His passing occurred at the Golden Life Hospital in Bamako, as reported by the AIB.

According to Burkina Information Agency, Toumani Diabaté was a pivotal figure in West African music, celebrated for his profound impact on the traditional and contemporary music scene. He was the son of Nama Koïta and the esteemed kora player Sidiki Diabaté, who was famously known as the 'king of the kora'. Toumani was also the father of the young star Sidiki Diabaté and cousin to Mamadou Diabaté, another notable kora player.

Toumani began his musical journey with the kora at the tender age of five and by thirteen, he was performing at the Mali Biennale with the Koulikoro Instrumental Ensemble, which won the prize for best traditional orchestra. His career included collaborations with significant artists such as Kandia Kouyaté, Ballaké Sissoko, Taj Mahal, and notably Ali Farka Touré. Together with Touré, he produced the acclaimed album "In the Heart of the Moon" in 2005, which garnered international praise and a Grammy Award for Best Traditional World Music Album in 2006.

His involvement in the video game LittleBigPlanet highlighted his song "Tapha Niang", which initially included verses from the Koran. Following controversy over the religious content, Sony Computer Entertainment opted to use an instrumental version in the game to avoid offending Islamic cultural sensibilities.

Toumani Diabaté's illustrious career was marked by numerous accolades, including a Grammy Award in 2011 with Ali Farka Touré for their album "Ali and Toumani". He is remembered as one of the greatest kora players of his time, whose music transcended cultural and national boundaries, making a lasting impact on the world music stage.