Trio Da Kali and Kronos Quartet Release New Album: Ladilikan

In June 2016 Malian singer Hawa Kassé Mady Diabate joined us for Africa Express presents Terry Riley’s In C Mali. She  performed both at Holland Festival (Amsterdam) and Les Nuits Des Fourvieres in Lyon. The daughter of Mali’s greatest traditional singer Kassé Mady Diabate, Hawa is joined by some of Mali’s most renowned musicians. Her star studded band Trio Da Kali, features Lassana Diabaté on balafon and Mamadou Kouyaté on bass ngoni. The trio are set to release their debut album Ladilikan on 15th September on World Circuit Records.

The album is a collaboration with leading San Francisco based Kronos Quartet, also known as the world’s most adventurous string quartet, with over 60 albums under their belt. Kronos and Da Kali come together, blending southern Mali’s Mande sonorities with Kronos’ mix of violas, violin and cello. The group collaborated with American composer Jacob Garchik to arrange Trio Da Kali’s repertoire, bringing it into new uncharted territory.

Listen to the result below, Eh Ya Ye Ye is the first single off the debut album ‘Ladilikan’ by Trio Da Kali and Kronos Quartet, out on 15th September:

You can pre-order Ladilikan (out on World Circuit Records) here .

Photo by Jay Blakesberg

by Lauren Roth de Wolf

The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians at Womad and Cambridge Folk Fest

Last summer, Africa Express reunited a Syrian Orchestra who had played with Gorillaz back in 09, and since been scattered across the globe by the ongoing conflict.  These incredible musicians reformed as ‘The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians’ for a tour of Europe featuring guests such as Noura Mint Seymali , Julia Holter , Bassekou Kouyate , Paul Weller and more. The played the pyramid stage at Glastonbury, headlined the Holland festival, sold out the Royal Festival Hall and released a critically acclaimed live album.  
A year on, with the conflict in Syria ongoing, many of the members of The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians have settled in the UK and Europe.  How lucky we are that they are able to bring their beautiful Syrian sounds to stages across the UK. Recently playing main stages at WOMAD (listen to their set on BBC3)  and Cambridge Folk Festival, the Orchestra shared their own arrangements of classical Arabic music and melodies with eager audiences, and featured a guest turn from their friend Maverick Sabre who joined them for a beautiful Syrian version of his hit ‘I need’ and the poignant ‘A Change is Gonna Come’.  

They weren’t the only Africa Express Alumni on the festival circuit – having met at Africa Express’ headline show for Fiesta Des Seds Marseilles Marseille in 2013 Fatoumata Diawara , Toumani Diabate and his son Sidiki  joined forces with (-M-)  as brand new supergroup Lamomali. They’re now set to tour Europe from November onwards, find out more here and put on your dancing shoes.

Watch The Orchestra of Syrian Musicians’ set at Cambridge Folk Festival on Sky Arts TV.

                     Mohamad Saleh on Qanoon

Maverick Sabre

Tarek Zaidieh

by Lauren Roth de Wolf