Neba Solo & Benogo Diakité – A Djinn and a Hunter Went Walking (Etoile Audio/Nonesuch Records, 2026)
Malian balafon master Neba Solo and donso ngoni expert Benogo Diakité have released a superb collaboration titled A Djinn and a Hunter Went Walking. The album highlights the richness, diversity, and beauty of Malian music.
The lead track, “Djinê Mogo Tiki,” was rolled out on November 19, 2025, alongside a live performance video filmed in a Bamako garden where the project’s primary recordings took place.
The CD edition includes two discs. Disc one brings together Solo’s balafon and Diakité’s donso ngoni with vocals and percussion, plus finely crafted, subtle embellishments, later added, that include Mellotron, guitar, and strings. Disc two presents the duo alone, recorded outdoors in a Bamako garden beneath a mango tree after sunset. Crickets remain audible during quieter passages.
The partnership traces back more than a decade to sessions connected to Oumou Sangaré’s album Seya for World Circuit. Producers Ousmane Haïdara and Nick Gold envisioned a meeting between the balafon tradition associated with Kenedugu (french Kénédougou), where the instrument historically accompanied agricultural work, and the hunter-centered culture of Wassulu, where the donso ngoni has deep roots.
During the Seya sessions, Solo joined the recordings and built a close musical affinity with Diakité. Informal warmups demonstrated this chemistry and led to dedicated sessions for A Djinn and a Hunter Went Walking. Solo brought a customized balafon with an extended bass range, while Diakité arrived with his lowest-register donso ngoni. The result is a splendid set of warm, virtuosic and timeless songs.
In liner notes, scholar Ingrid Monson writes that Haïdara initially planned an all-instrumental album designed around widely known Malian songs. After early playback sessions, the team opted to add vocals and percussion for contrast throughout the record, then invited English musician Sonny Johns to contribute additional instrumental touches, including strings, Mellotron, guitar, and bass.
Nonesuch has revealed that this project is the first in a new series with Nick Gold, the former head of World Circuit Records, via Etoile Audio., his new imprint.
Buy A Djinn and a Hunter Went Walking.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.