Toumani Diabate: Fantaisie; Kaira; With Ali Farka Touré:Sabu Yerkoy.

The track "Kaira" is taken from the fantastic Debut album "Kaira" (1991) of Toumani Diabate.

Toumani Diabate is regarded as one of the greatest living virtuosos on the kora, the 21-string West African harp-lute. Coming from a prominent musical family in the country of Mali, Diabate showcases his reputation as an inventive and lyrical performer on Kaira, his first solo album. The five pieces represent some of the classic kora works, and, at five to ten minutes in length, they allow Diabate plenty of time to stretch out and reveal his dazzling virtuosity. The tunes are all built around a solid bassline and a basic melodic theme around which Diabate improvises, producing a richly ornamented sound that is lively, fluid and engaging. By the way this album is also superbly recorded. Listen and enjoy it.

The African kora, which is like a cross between a lute and a harp, is one of the world's most beautiful instruments. It isn't as sweet as a harp and, with some of the quick action of a lute or guitar, it is as much a "classical" instrument as it is a "folk" one.

Musicians:
Toumani Diabate: Kora

Recording information:
Firehouse Studios, London, England (10/1987)
Release Date 07/1991