Djelika

A bold and innovative musical visionary, the late Toumani Diabate transformed the sound of the kora - the 21-stringed African harp - and introduced it to the world stage. First released internationally in 1995 on Joe Boyd's Hannibal label, Djelika was a groundbreaking and adventurous album that showcased Toumani's fearless creativity. Collaborating with two of Mali's finest traditional griots - Keletigui Diabate on balafon and Bassekou Kouyate on ngoni - Toumani forged a deeply expressive trio at the heart of the project. They were joined by celebrated bassists Danny Thompson and Javier Colina, with Dian Diarra contributing kamalengoni on the track 'Tony Vander'. Together, these remarkable musicians crafted a radiant fusion of Malian tradition and global musical dialogue - a timeless testament to Toumani Diabate's boundary-defying artistry. Now available on vinyl for the first time, Djelika joins Chrysalis Global's acclaimed reissue series celebrating the music of Toumani Diabate.