“Seckou Keita: when the kora meets the symphony orchestra”
Seckou Keita, virtuoso of the kora and tireless defender of this traditional African instrument, returns with his 13th album entitled “African Rhapsodies”. In this extraordinary opus, the Senegalese musician explores musical frontiers by merging the sounds of his Mandinka harp-lute with those of a European symphony orchestra.
With more than 80 concerts a year around the world and millions of streams to his credit, Seckou Keita is recognized as one of the most talented artists of his generation. In “African Rhapsodies”, he pushes his musical exploration even further by marrying the 22 strings of his kora with the rich and harmonious sounds of the symphony orchestra. For this, he surrounds himself with the BBC Concert Orchestra, one of the most versatile in the United Kingdom, thus giving life to a unique fusion between African and Western music.
The album consists of ten radiant titles, in which Seckou Keita navigates with ease between the bewitching rhythms of Africa and powerful orchestral arrangements. Each piece is a musical journey, taking the listener into soundscapes where the vibrations of the kora, the flights of the violins and the depth of the brass intertwine.
Through “African Rhapsodies”, Seckou Keita once again demonstrates his unstoppable mastery of the kora and his ability to explore new musical paths. He manages to transcend cultural and geographical boundaries, offering a true testimony to the universality of music.
This album is a true ode to diversity and open-mindedness. He invites listeners to let themselves be carried away by the harmonious blends between tradition and modernity, between Africa and the West. “African Rhapsodies” is a musical experience that testifies to the magical richness of cultural exchanges and the ability of music to create bridges between continents.
In conclusion, “African Rhapsodies” is a daring album that transports us to a unique musical universe where the kora, this ancestral instrument, harmoniously unites with the symphony orchestra. Seckou Keita offers us a true African symphony, mixing virtuosity, emotion and transcendence