Kora maestro Toumani Diabate mediates traditions inherited from Mali's ancient Mande Empire through globetrotting jazz, blues and electro frequencies. A lifelong Bamako resident, Diabaté rose to global acclaim almost 20 years ago when he recorded the world's first solo kora album Kaira. Since then his career has been characterised by a fierce refusal to erect a line between an ancient locality and a modern cosmopolis. This polyglot genealogy informs his second solo album The Mande Variations (2008) which hints at everything from jazz to blues and classical, as Diabate channels 71 generations of collective memory through lush polyrhythms and haunting earthy-ethereal melodies.
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