THE summer of 2025 saw the launch of Chrysalis Global, a new global music label with a debut album, Guitari Baro (“Guitar Conversations”), recorded by three renowned Mande musicians from West Africa: Guinean balafonist Lassana Diabate, fellow Guinean guitarist Kerfala Diabate, and Malian virtuoso guitarist Gaoussou Kouyate. It was co-produced by broadcaster and global music authority Lucy Duran.

Lucy explains that Chrysalis Global was created for the release of the album: “Together with Dudu Sarr (Senegalese promoter, manager of Youssou N’Dour, and director of Dakar Music Expo), we dreamt up the idea of recording an album that would showcase for the first time these traditional conversations between two seemingly very different instruments — in a purely instrumental album. Something that would stand between jazz and tradition. Chrysalis had been so positive and creative in the process of reissuing albums originally released on Hannibal Records by [the late] Toumani Diabate, solo, and New Ancient Strings with Ballake Sissoko.”

Growing up in a musical household, Lucy studied classical music and classical guitar at King’s College London: “I first heard a field recording of the kora in 1974 and was mesmerised by the sound of its 21 strings and beautiful repertoire. I saved up, and in late 1976 went to Gambia to study with a famous kora player, Amadu Bansang Jobarteh. I lived in his compound and learnt Mandinka, as he spoke no English. He trained me in the Gambian style of playing.  

“I travelled with James Fox, who had written a superb piece on the magnificent female voices of Mali and star vocalist, Fanta Sacko; Amadu Bansang and Dembo Konte, another great kora player from Gambia. We set off to Mali from Gambia by bush taxi and then by train.

“It was an arduous, but inspiring trip. That was my introduction to some of the greatest musicians of West Africa, and the beginning of my work as music producer.”

“Mali was a democracy with a vibrant musical culture. Now it is suffering from Islamic fundamentalism, poor governance and scarcity of fuel. Its music scene is now greatly reduced, which is a sad loss to music lovers around the world.”

Between 2000 and 2013 Lucy presented the BBC Radio 3 programme World Routes and I asked why the successful radio programme had ended.

“I worked with BBC Radio 3 in the mid-1980s,” she replies, “as an occasional adviser and presenter of different musical traditions from around the world. In 2000, Roger Wright, then director of Radio 3, created World Routes, a one-hour weekly show. I was its main presenter. There was nothing like it in the UK or Europe. But in August 2013 Radio 3 decided to ‘give World Routes a break for 18 months.’ No reason was ever given. I was devastated, but I feel very lucky to have had such an amazing experience of learning through radio about different musical cultures, directly on location.”

Another major project took Lucy five years to complete — getting her father’s compositions published. Pianist Gustavo Duran fought against Franco in the Spanish civil war as a  Lieutenant Colonel in the Republican army. He was exiled after the Spanish civil war and never allowed to return.

“They are beautiful, ethereal songs for voice and piano, based on folk traditions from his native Spain. I have been working with two brilliant musicians, Samuel Diz from Galicia Spain – a classical guitarist who has adapted my dad’s piano scores to guitar – and Argentinian tenor Jonatan Avarado, who has the voice of an angel. It was released on February 13. There is already a lot of publicity around it in Spain, because my father is quite a colourful figure in the 20th-century history of Spanish exiles.”

Guitari Baro is released by Chrysalis Records 
Find El mal de l’amor: The Songbook of Gustavo Duran on Spotify
COMPETITION: We have THREE copies of Guitari Baro to give away. To enter the competition email the answer to the following question, along with your name and postal address, to competitions@peoples-press.com. Question: What is the name of the capital city of Mali? The winners will be drawn at random from correct entrants in seven days time. Prizes are non transferable and the completion is open to UK residents only.