Hadja Kouyate & Ali Boulo Santo – Manding-Ko (CD)
Product Details
Griot tradition runs deep in West African music, and Hadja Kouyaté carries that lineage with unmistakable authority. The kora, a 21-string bridge harp native to the Mande peoples, is one of the most harmonically rich instruments in the world, and Ali Boulo Santo's playing here lets the vocals breathe rather than compete. Recorded with the sparse intimacy that defines the best acoustic collaborations from this tradition, Manding-Ko stands as a founding document of the Frikyiwa label's vision.
As the very first release on the Frikyiwa label, this voice-and-kora duo remains a timeless classic. With Hadja Kouyaté on vocals and Ali Boulo Santo on kora, the album achieves a perfect balance-subtle, gentle, and deeply rooted in Mandingue culture and the virtuoso art of the griots. It also features a remarkable guest appearance by Manfila Kanté, the historic guitarist of Salif Keita. Essential listening.""Her airy, luminous voice, shifting in tone and color, reveals the fascination of a vocal style at the crossroads of Black Africa, the Orient, and the Mediterranean."" - Répertoire, Luigi Elongui""Endowed with a singular power, Hadja Kouyaté's voice also knows how to modulate itself to reach those moments where emotion transcends language and goes straight to the listener's core. Superb."" - Mondomix, Magali Bergès
Tracklist
UPC: 3700077651019
Label: Diggers Factory
Release Date: 9.18.26
Format: CD