"Berekoy"

Ballaké Sissoko is neighbor, collaborator, and renowned “second kora” to Toumani Diabaté, considered by most the standard bearer for the art of this 21-string harp, certainly in Mali where they both live.  Sons of famous kora players themselves, both now operate in a milieu where kora players are expected to innovate and defy convention.  When Toumani debuted in 1987 with a solo kora album, it verged on scandal--griot praise without the singing!  Fast forward twenty years, and here’s Ballake fronting an instrumental trio with Mahamadou Kamissoko on ngoni lute and Fassely Diabaté (son of Keletigui Diabaté) on balafon.  With invited guests, they bring in flavors of pentatonic music, most notably on the dark, dignified “Berekoy” featuring a deep, thrumming ngoni ba (big lute), the eerie wheedle of a sokou fiddle and a touch of raspy vocal from Abdoul Kadri Barry.

This set has welcome variety, from Ballaké’s elegant solo performances (“Berekôlan” and “Lasidan”) to a gorgeous duet with Toumani, “Kanou,” (reprising their classic 199 duo CD, New Ancient Strings), to trio tracks and pieces featuring guests.  Rokia Traore adds her birdlike, trademark flutter to “Naman Don,” a song solidly in the Mande music camp.  “Handarezo,” another pentatonic piece featuring Barry’s vocal, is also a standout.  All this variety is excellent, although in this context, the trio performances feel a little too relaxed, definitely not as fiery as those on Ballaké’s earlier ensemble release, Deli (Label Bleu).  There is no doubt that the bar on kora recordings has risen, driven in part by three superb releases from Toumani’s U.S. based cousin, Mamadou Diabaté.  Ballaké certainly remains on the A-list with this release, particularly for the ventures into pentatonic music.  Next time around, a little more of the energy the three principles deliver in their live shows would be welcome. 

Contributed by: Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org