Walter Kitundu

The PHONOKORA by Walter Kitundu

Do yourself a favor and go check out the (admittedly poorly designed and frustrating) site of inspired instrument maker, musician, and recent MacArthur Genius Grant winner Walter Kitundu. Even the awesome Kronos Quartet are into his work.

These are not sculptures, but actual, working hybrid instruments designed and performed by him. The above is a West African Kora mashed up with a turntable and below is a Phonoharp that “is incredibly versatile and can sound like bass guitar, a lap steel guitar, a hammered dulcimer, a drumset, chimes…”

Also, I wonder if he has any actual recordings for sale. The site offers small snippets – Let me know if you find something more!

(via NPR – listen to the story)