Thierno Camara / Host

THIERNO CAMARA

Born in Senegal, West Africa, Thierno Camara studied classical piano and flute as a child, which led him to play piano in an American pop band called Laser. At age 15, Thierno put his own Afro-pop band together and began his songwriting career. When the bassist of his group left the band, Thierno learned the bass out of necessity, but soon realized that the electric bass was his preferred instrument. A few years later, he formed Sora, a group that utilized traditional West African musicians and sounds. His skills and talent did not go unnoticed, and he was soon freelancing and touring the world with some of Africa’s greatest stars, including Moussa Ngom, Cheick Lo, Kine Lam, and Thione Seck. Settling in New York City in 1998, Thierno performed and recorded with noted jazz artists Ornette Coleman, Greg Osby, and Cornelius Kreusch. Thierno joined Crocodile River Music in 2015 and is now in demand as both a bassist and recording engineer.  He recently released his first album.

Crocodile River Radio: Heart of Africa with Host Thierno Camara and special guests from Crocodile River Music,  features some of the best music from Africa and the Diaspora. You’ll hear new artists, traditional music, and varied styles from all around the continent, every Saturday night from 9-11 pm on WICN Public Radio.