toumani diabate, “elyne road”
from: the mande variations,
Solo music for the 21 stringed harp-lute, the kora, is not for everyone. In the hands of a master, it is a transformative journey to the heart of creativity. Toumani is widely considered the greatest kora player of his generation and this album is one of his finest, though one would be hard pressed to find any that are not outstanding.
Toumani said this about Elyne Road
“This is my own composition and it’s my first recording of it. The melody was inspired by UB40’s recording of the song Kingston Town that I first heard when I spent time in London in the late 80’s, as I listened, I heard a Bamana phrase in my head that fit to the melody. “You are as beautiful as the honey that sweetens porridge.’ I decided to call it Elyne Road after a street in North London where I played it – one memorable night.”
-Alan West-