After years of touring together, legendary kora authority Ballaké Sissoko and cellist Vincent Ségal have created their own hybrid tradition that draws on ancient West African troubadour songs and Baroque music with a clearly modern sensibility. Together the duo were awarded the Victoire de la Musique (often considered the French Grammy Award) for their album Chamber Music.

One of todayʼs leading kora masters, Malian musician Sissoko found success as a recording artist, often in collaboration with other world-renowned artists, most notably his cousin Toumani Diabaté. Their spellbinding 1999 album New Ancient Strings paid tribute to the highly respected collection of kora duets recorded by their fathers in 1970, Ancient Strings.

Ségal, who has also won a French Grammy for his work with the duo Bumcello, joins Sissoko in an intimate performance combining classical cello and 21-string kora.

Made possible through the PLACE programme