Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Hot on the heels of last year's collaboration with Ali Farka Touré, this latest of kora master Toumani Diabaté's projects grew out of his Friday night jams at Bamako's Hogon club, which drew an ever-expanding cast of musicians.
The three dozen featured here include such celebrated singers as Kasse Mady and Mangala Camara. The "symmetry" refers to a balance of tradition and progress, drawing on familiar songs from the griot tradition but unafraid to add dance-band elements such as the funk rhythms behind "Single" or the salsa flavour of "Africa Challenge", where Diabaté's dizzying kora runs are set against a punchy backbeat of Senegalese sabar drums.
The mix is further complicated by the later addition of horn arrangements by James Brown's brass leader Pee Wee Ellis, and string arrangements recorded in London. The result is a series of delightful pieces with dense, complex rhythm beds of balafon, drums and percussion overlaid with cyclical West African guitar figures and flurries of kora, tinted with subtle shadings of strings and punctuated with horn stabs - animated enough to satisfy even if you can't follow the local metaphors and morals.
DOWNLOAD THIS: 'Single', 'Africa Challenge', 'Ya Fama'
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments