Kaira

1	Alla L'Aa Ke 7:15
2	Jarabi 5:05
3	Kaira 8:08
4	Konkoba 10:27
5	Tubaka 9:33

Barnes & Noble

Young, energetic and frighteningly talented, Toumani Diabate has created a modern lexicon for the kora, the ancient 21-stringed calabash harp at the heart of Mandeng jaliya (griot-music). KAIRA, which translates somewhere between "peace" and "good fortune," is aptly titled. The solo improvisations comprising this album all convey a deep, reassuring serenity. Diabate's kaleidoscopic kora, which sounds a bit like Bach as heard inside a seashell, is simultaneously soothing and invigorating. Toumani's father, Sidiki, was widely regarded as one of the 20th-century masters of Malian kora artistry (to hear him, check out CORDES ANCIENNES by Sidiki Diabate and Batrou Sekou Kouyate). The younger Diabate clearly respects the 800-year-old tradition he inherited -- all the cuts on KAIRA are based on Malian standards. But Toumani pushes trad playing into new dimensions. He finds rhythms within rhythms, and his flourishes are quicksilver. While he's unafraid of dramatic flamencolike touches, Toumani is always tasteful and never flashy (a rare virtue in a young man). Erik Goldman

All Music Guide

Toumani Diabate, like Foday Musa Suso, is regarded as one of the greatest living virtuosos on the kora, the 21-string West African harp-lute. Coming from a prominent musical family in the country of Mali, Diabate showcases his reputation as an inventive and lyrical performer on Kaira, his first solo album. The five pieces represent some of the classic kora works, and, at five to ten minutes in length, they allow Diabate plenty of time to stretch out and reveal his dazzling virtuosity. The tunes are all built around a solid bassline and a basic melodic theme around which Diabate improvises, producing a richly ornamented sound that is lively, fluid and engaging. ~ Backroads Music/Heartbeats, All Music Guide