So what is the difference between Giot traditional music and Mandinka?
KD: It's the same thing. I am griot and a Mandingos musician. In Africa at that time, when you were born in a family of shoemakers, all your family were shoemakers, there were no mixtures. The griots are as a team, we are a small ethnic Mandingo mori, we are making music for mandigos and other ethnic groups like the Fula, or Balanta.
So in terms of sound are there any differences?
KD: There is a difference, because we transmit a sound that is natural. It's a sound that comes from wood; it is very difficult to do. It takes a year to build a balafon, is something that takes time, then your tune is forever, for twenty years or more. My balafon was I that built it.
I read in your biography that you naturally play music since three years of age. I also know that there was a period of your life where you would did want to be a musician, if you had to choose what you would be instead of a musician?
KD: Oh, good what a question. I do not know what I wanted to be if I was not a musician. I live for music, I feed from it, and my body needs music. I always dealt with music as a child. You cannot imagine it, but sometimes I had no money to eat, to buy bread, or batteries. I went to weddings just to add money to buy batteries for listening to music, my mother was always upset with me. If I didn't listen music I was nothing. My parents took advantage of me in a very good way, because they soon discovered that the child wanted music, but they did not gave me time too. My whole village used to take me, invited me for weddings, christenings and parties. I could not stop. I had no childhood, it was almost like a person of 40 years old, with responsibilities to play and follow people. I taught at 15 years of age a Canadian who came to learn from me, and he was surprised and asked why learn balafón with this child and not an older person? People told him that I was the best, recognized my talent at the time.
Are you thinking of writing for a new album? Bring other musicians?
KD: I'm thinking about a lot. I have great thoughts and I get no time to myself. It is a time of stress, get a studio is not an easy job, but it will be a very good thing.
Will it have other African sounds, or you'll have also merged with musicians from other countries?
KD: I'll have many influences, because my dream was always to join with other musicians. I love to listen to music and if I can find Portuguese musicians and make this work would be great.
Do you like living in Lisbon? Doesn't a big city scares someone who comes from a village?
KD: I like it. Still is confusing, but my life is in the big cities as a musician that I am I cannot be isolated, need contacts, need to meet people and record professionals. You need also to create a public that knows your work. It was never my dream to live in very large cities, have even thought about having house on the coast of Caparica, near the sea and I think one day I'll do that. I grew up in a village where everyone is family and come to cities with cars, trams, trains and lots of people and at the beginning I was confused. A musician needs a space where it can breathe, without much noise, so I go around that area to enjoy the sea, the woods and I do not see anyone, not even houses. I need it.
