Album: Diabel Cissokho, Kanabory Siyama (World Village)

This gently appealing CD reflects the serene continuity of Senegal's traditional music.

As his name implies, Diabel Cissokho comes from a long line of griot performers, and though he plays a large variety of instruments, the kora was his first love, and remains so today. This album was made with members of his family plus players from France and Morocco: he wrote the lyrics – which deal with themes of community and ethnicity – and, in addition to singing, also plays guitar.