The Kora Of Senegal

The Kora of Senegal was released by the French label Arion in 1975, serving as a significant document of West African griot traditions for an international audience. The record features Lamine Konté, a renowned Senegalese musician known for his masterful command of the kora, the traditional 21-string harp-lute. The album was produced during a period when Arion was actively expanding its catalog to include global folk and traditional music, aiming to capture the intricate, meditative qualities of Senegalese oral history in a high-fidelity studio environment.

The design of the release reflects the minimalist aesthetic typical of Arion’s ethnographic series during the 1970s, prioritizing the cultural subject matter over elaborate graphic ornamentation. By focusing on Konté’s virtuosic playing style, the record acted as a bridge for Western listeners to access the complex polyrhythms and melodic structures of the Mande musical heritage. Upon its release, it was noted by ethnomusicologists and world music enthusiasts for its clarity and the authentic representation of the instrument's historical repertoire.