With a nod to the founder of "New Ancient Strings" by koraists Toumani Diabaté and Ballaké Sissoko, Qwest TV's new playlist features string players with talents such as the American violinists of the Kronos Quartet, here in duet with the Mandinka trio Da Kali, or the Berber singer Bombino, whose blues energy quickly seduced the Black Keys and then the rock planet.

Obviously the masters of the genre are present, such as the Malian guitarist Ali Farka Touré, author with Toumani Diabaté of the legendary Hôtel Mandé sessions, and also the American saxophonist Archie Shepp, here in contact with the bewitching guembri gnaoua. Particularly inspired, these two composers confirm the universal dimension of stringed instruments and the intrinsic power of music. Yet it is Bassekou Kouyaté who best symbolizes this retro-futuristic selection. Master of the n'goni, a small lute-guitar of rudimentary appearance, the latter has been renewing the griot repertoire for several years, notably by confronting it with the electricity fairy. Filmed in 2020 at the Moods Club in Zurich, this musician and his group Ngoni Ba remind us, by extension, of the evolutionary nature of such productions: it’s a good thing...

Vincent Caffiaux