Vocalist Rokia Koné, one of Mali’s most cherished artists, has teamed up with California-based Irish rock producer Jacknife Lee to release an album titled “Bamanan” on Real World Records. The production features a mix of traditional percussion and Mande guitar with bass and keyboards. The new album is scheduled for release in mid-February 2022.
The first single from the album, N’yanyan, is now available.
Bamanan is a celebration of the Bambara vulture of southern Mali. Koné takes inspiration from the tradition of the hereditary griots or jelis, the praise singers essential to the fabric of Malian society. “It is the role of the griot to perpetuate the tradition,” says Koné. “To remind us of our origins, our culture.”
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Author: World Music Central News Room
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