The Senegalese master of the kora and Songlines award-winner presents a rare, stripped-back and utterly breath-taking selection of his own magical sounds.

As a member of a griot family, Seckou Keita is a hereditary musician and master of his art – a hypnotic and spellbindingly beautiful 22-stringed harp heard extensively across West Africa. The childhood prodigy and pioneering talent is one of the leaders of the newest generation of traditional African musicians, fusing ancient forms and instruments with those of other cultures.

Seckou’s earnt worldwide acclaim for his kora playing, leading to collaborations with artists spanning the musical spectrum: Salif Keita, Catrin Finch, Paul Weller, Youssou N’Dour and Miriam Makeba have all worked alongside him. He’s reached number 1 in the world music charts, won various World and Folk Music awards and is a creative partner at WOMAD, such is his extraordinary contribution to his field.

Check out Songlines’ ‘Beginners Guide to Seckou Keita’ for a deep dive into the artist here.