Toumani & Sidiki

Toumani Diabate has collaborated with Ali Farka Toure, Ry Cooder, Björk, and others in the past, and now he circles around to duet with his 23-year-old son, Sidiki. The two are part of a 700-year family tradition on kora (nylon string African harp), and they sit down and play live in the studio. While Toumani has long been a master of tradition and innovation, Sidiki is a skilled modern-day musician and beatmaker who's part of a popular Malian hip-hop duo with rapper Iba One. Here the two come together to play traditional classics and obscurities that celebrate their lineage but also update it with their own unique vision. You can hear Toumani (left side) soaring and digging deep, making a creative broad range of textures on the 21-string instrument. More rhythmic and understated, Sidiki (right side) offers a platform for his father while adding his running commentary. Highlights include the buoyant “Hamadoun Toure,” the stately “Tijaniya,” and “Richid Ouiguini,” which highlights the duo’s chemistry.