Chant Du Nègre... ...Chant Du Monde

Released in 1977 on the French label Arion, 'Chant du Nègre' features the virtuoso Senegalese kora player and vocalist Lamine Konté. The album emerged during a period of burgeoning interest in world music within Europe, where artists like Konté were instrumental in bridging traditional West African griot musical lineages with Western recording production, aiming to preserve and present the complex, contemplative artistry of the kora to an international audience.

The album reflects the careful curation typical of Arion's ethnological series, focusing on high-fidelity captures of traditional instrumentation. Konté, widely regarded as a master of the 21-string harp-lute, intended for these sessions to showcase the lyrical storytelling and technical precision inherent to his heritage. The release received critical appreciation for its stark, unadorned recording style, which allowed the resonant, delicate timbre of the kora to remain the central focus throughout the performance.