LP 1 – BALLAKÉ SISSOKO & VINCENT SEGAL : Musique de Nuit
This is a story of friendship and music. In 2009, the kora player Ballaké Sissoko and the cellist Vincent Segal decided to make an album that would capture the musical conversations they had been weaving together over the years. Recorded in Salif Keita s studio in Bamako, Chamber Music was universally acclaimed and went on to sell 50,000+ copies worldwide. In the UK Ballaké and Vincent appeared live on BBC 2’s Culture Show and played at the Barbican, the South Bank, and regional dates, with Ballaké later coming back for a Making Tracks tour and an appearance on Later… with Jools. Six years after Chamber Music, the partnership between the two men has continued to blossom and grow, nourished by their years of pilgrimage together. Now their friendship resonates louder than ever on Musique de Nuit. Two souls, united by a sense of freedom and momentum, that seem to melt and find echoes of Manding, Baroque, Brazilian and Gypsy in each other. This freedom is the sound of two musicians, who are masters of their own instrument, artistry and tradition, who are able to transcend all that to concentrate on every breath, every sound, their own dialogue, and to put all their attention onto the beauty of the moment. Sheltered from the horrors of modern life, Musique de Nuit celebrates all that is poetry in the world.

LP 2: KASSÉ MADY DIABATÉ : Kiriké
180 gram VINYL LP VERSION WITH DOWNLOAD CODE
For almost half a century Kassé Mady Diabaté has been recognised as one of West Africa s finest singers. He is a descendant of the most distinguished griot family and his name, alongside other griot legends Toumani Diabaté and Bassékou Kouyaté, is equivalent to musical royalty in Mali. Over his fifty-year long career, he s released numerous solo records and collaborated with Taj Mahal, Toumani Diabaté, Ketama, the Symmetric Orchestra, etc.
On the record and on stage, Kassé Mady is joined by Malian kora maestro Ballaké Sissoko, iconoclastic French cellist Vincent Segal, balafon player Lansiné Kouyaté (from duo Kouyaté-Neerman) and ngoni player Makan Tounkara. Kiriké is the third album in a series born out of the friendship between Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Segal, long admirers of Kassé Mady. Already this friendship has resulted in two beautiful albums, Chamber Music (2009) and At Peace (2012), both released on the No Format! label. A griot to the core, Kassé Mady expresses himself almost entirely through his music, transcribing all of the nuances of the human soul into song. It is this that cements his position as ‘the greatest singer in Mali’, as described by fellow countryman Salif Keita. ‘The album is very intimate and understated, with a sense of eavesdropping on a truly great master singer.’ Lucy Duran

LP 3: BALLAKÉ SISSOKO : At Peace
In 2009, in the depths of the Malian night, Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Segal recorded the stripped down dialogues of Chamber Music. The album collected rave reviews and became an instant classic. But Ballaké Sissoko isn t in the business of sequels. ‘I didn’t want to do Chamber Music all over again,’ confirmed Ballaké Sissoko, ‘I wanted to work in its continuation.’ At Peace relies on the strong bond that unites its actors, but it is also an adventurous record, full of chance encounters and acrobatics. The peace displayed in the album is the peace of the brave, of musicians who aren’t afraid to rub shoulders with the unexpected and unprecedented. Three of the nine tracks are solo kora, the others feature some or all of the Special Guests: Vincent Segal (cello), Aboubacar Diabaté (12-string guitar), Moussa Diabaté (guitar) and Fassery Diabaté (balafon).

LP 4: BALLAKÉ SISSOKO & VINCENT SEGAL : Chamber Music
Once in a while an album comes along which really strikes a chord with press and public alike – Chamber Music is shaping up to be just such an album. After huge commercial success in France, this masterpiece of subtle string interplay, of Malian and French musical miscegenation, is now released in the UK. Ballaké and Vincent are master musicians both, with a shared sensibility for pushing the boundaries on their chosen instruments. Ballaké and his kora have graced his own albums on Label Bleu, with Toumani Diabaté on New Ancient Strings, and alongside piano supremo Ludovico Einaudi on Diario Mali. Vincent is a classical cellist who has recorded solo and with French ambient electro outfit Bumcello, whilst also contributing to a wide range of works by artists from Sting, to Blackalicious, to Elvis Costello, to Cesaria Evora, and beyond. The duo recently supported Cesaria Evora at London s Barbican, and return to the UK for more dates over the summer. Chamber Music (on the acclaimed and eclectic French label No Format) is refined, subtle, captivating music-making, truly an album that will be cherished for years to come.