"Griotoubab" – a neologism forged together from the Senegalese terms "Griot" and "Toubab". The Griot are the Senegalese caste of musicians, bards, and storytellers, whom Pape Samory Seck and his family belong to. "Toubab" simply means: "white person".

Time and time again over the course of his musical career, Colognian Jazz pianist Mike Herting meets artists from Senegal, sharing both stages and recording studios with them. The rich percussion tradition of the Griot in particular, with their complex, mantra-esque rhythms proves to him a continued fascination. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2021, the idea of a crossover project in cooperation with the Germany-based Griot family Seck is born. The idea is to fuse these traditional Senegalese rhythms with western Jazz sounds: Griot and Toubab, side by side, sharing the same stage.

The results of this fusion can be heard on their new album "Salam Aleikum".

Stream or buy the CD here: https://Griotoubab.lnk.to/SalamAleikumWE