MALIAN kora player Toumani Diabate’s albums originally released on Joe Boyd’s Hannibal Records between 1988 and 1999 are being remastered and reissued on vinyl and CD by Chrysalis Records over the coming months, kicking off with New Ancient Strings, a collaboration kora player Toumani Diabate and Ballake Sissoko.

Described as a follow up to the rare 1970 album Ancient Strings, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw5MhyvSMUg&t=12s, a collaboration between their fathers, Sidiki Diabate and Djelimadi Sissoko, the reissue consists of eight timeless instrumentals of traditional Mande music with themes going back to the 13th century as well as embracing more modern-day sounds.

The reissue series will feature albums originally produced by ethnomusicologist and broadcaster Lucy Duran who presented the BBC’s World Routes on Radio 3 between 2000 and 2013. Speaking exclusively to the Morning Star, Duran explained the attraction of Toumani Diabate’s music.