Jali Haruna Jassey is one of the best Balaphone player of The Gambia and besides his work with bands and traditional griot business like playing at naming ceremonies he is inviting regularly students from abroad to share his knowledge and skills. He is introducing himself:

"Hello, my name is Jali Haruna. I was born in The Gambia on the 12th february 1972. I come from the mandinka tribe. I started to play music on the age of 7 years as my parents are musicians too. So I was born in a musical house! In 1987 I was grown up and started to play in a band, as my first start. This band was called "Amdalie band". We played in Serrekunda, the biggest city in The Gambia.   In 1995 I joined the band called "Rairaba band". We had an international  performance with this band in Great Britain on the WOMAD festival (www.womad.org). I also went to the USA for a musical festival in Seattle. When I came back from the USA in the year 1997 I  started to teach people how to play the balaphone,  on the music school called "Karamba Experience". . Nowadays I perform at the Tanji village museum. There I met Jali Kebba  in the year 2000, and  I now am happy to be with jalikebba and the band!"

There is also the Kaira band and his CD
"Kaira Naata" with kora player Pa Bobo Jobarteh.

he welcomes email at jaliharuna@yahoo.com

or phone him at +220 9717406