MOUSSA TRAORE was born and raised in Mali and has been playing the djembe for the past thirty years. In 1984 he was deemed a "master" by his teacher, Sega Cissé, and is considered to be one of the top djembe players in Mali. Moussa has achieved great recognition throughout Mali as an accomplished musician in traditional ceremonies as well as the Malian pop scene. Since moving to the U.S. Moussa has continued to distinguish himself as a highly respected teacher and performer: he has given drum workshops in cities throughout the country and now teaches classes, leads drum ensembles for West African dance classes and performs with other Malian artists.