Naby Camara is a balaphone master who comes from a lineage of persons known in West Africa as griots (pronounced gree'-oh). Besides being superlative musicians, griots are verbal artisans, oral historians, and the guardians of centuries-old traditions. Naby is a griot, as are his brothers, their father before them, his father before him, and so on. Thus, in addition to being trained as a master musician, Naby also knows the stories and histories of his people. He is a treasure of talent, but of knowledge as well.