Releases May 10, 2024
In November 2022 world-renowned kora player Ballaké Sissoko and acclaimed guitarist Derek Gripper spend just three hours recording a wordless album together. The kora and guitar in the hands of masters - a session where New Ancient Strings meets One Night On Earth.
“Musically we tested each other,” says Sissoko, explaining that the most magical aspect of their initial encounter was the spontaneity of the whole thing. “We have the mastery of our instruments, the technique and a good ear. Derek is very curious, that’s very important.”
“He’s just such a good listener,” says Gripper about Sissoko. “It’s not what he plays, it’s how he plays it. He’s an amazing interpreter, the prime master of timbre.”
“It’s a remarkable album,” says Lucy Duran, professor of Music at SOAS. “It’s the furthest away that Ballaké has gone from his own idiom and it’s brilliant – not world music, it’s in a totally different realm, entering new territory”
Recording by Taylor Pollock at Platoon Studios, London
Mixed, edited and produced by Derek Gripper
Mastered by Murray Anderson at Milestone Studios, Cape Town
Produced for vinyl by Chris Albertyn and Matt Temple at Matsuli Music
Mastered for vinyl and lacquers cut by Frank Merritt at The Carvery, London
Vinyl pressed at Pallas GmbH, Germany
Sleeve notes by Francis Gooding, French translation by Paulo Goncalves
Cover design by Toby Attwell at Twoshoes, Cape Town
Super-imposed photos by Simon Attwell and Benoit Peverelli, photo on the beach loungers by Eyüp Berk Kılıç
Master Recording © Ballaké Sissoko and Derek Gripper, Phonogram ℗ Matsuli Music Limited
Tracks 1, 3, 6 composed by Ballaké Sissoko and Derek Gripper, published by SACEM/PLATOON
Track 4 composed by Ballaké Sissoko, published by NO FORMAT
Track 2, 5, 7 composed by Derek Gripper, published by PLATOON
“Musically we tested each other,” says Sissoko, explaining that the most magical aspect of their initial encounter was the spontaneity of the whole thing. “We have the mastery of our instruments, the technique and a good ear. Derek is very curious, that’s very important.”
“He’s just such a good listener,” says Gripper about Sissoko. “It’s not what he plays, it’s how he plays it. He’s an amazing interpreter, the prime master of timbre.”
“It’s a remarkable album,” says Lucy Duran, professor of Music at SOAS. “It’s the furthest away that Ballaké has gone from his own idiom and it’s brilliant – not world music, it’s in a totally different realm, entering new territory”
Recording by Taylor Pollock at Platoon Studios, London
Mixed, edited and produced by Derek Gripper
Mastered by Murray Anderson at Milestone Studios, Cape Town
Produced for vinyl by Chris Albertyn and Matt Temple at Matsuli Music
Mastered for vinyl and lacquers cut by Frank Merritt at The Carvery, London
Vinyl pressed at Pallas GmbH, Germany
Sleeve notes by Francis Gooding, French translation by Paulo Goncalves
Cover design by Toby Attwell at Twoshoes, Cape Town
Super-imposed photos by Simon Attwell and Benoit Peverelli, photo on the beach loungers by Eyüp Berk Kılıç
Master Recording © Ballaké Sissoko and Derek Gripper, Phonogram ℗ Matsuli Music Limited
Tracks 1, 3, 6 composed by Ballaké Sissoko and Derek Gripper, published by SACEM/PLATOON
Track 4 composed by Ballaké Sissoko, published by NO FORMAT
Track 2, 5, 7 composed by Derek Gripper, published by PLATOON
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