“Mamelles” is the debut single from Guitari Baro, a new instrumental trio uniting Guinean and Malian griot masters in a dialogue between balafon and guitar. Centred on the resonant timbre of Lassana Diabaté’s balafon, the track locks into intricate interlocking lines with Gaoussou Kouyaté and Kerfala Diabaté on guitars. Its pulse references the Mande repertoire while opening out into echoes of jazz, Congolese rumba, Cuban son, and Guinean dance-band traditions. Named for Dakar’s twin volcanic hills, “Mamelles” carries both geographical anchoring and forward momentum, capturing the sense of place that informed its premiere at the 2025 Dakar Music Expo.

The trio’s name translates as “Guitar Conversations”, a title that reflects both the griot role as cultural storytellers and the cross-continental dialogue at the heart of their playing. Each member is recognised in West Africa for virtuosity and forward-looking approach: Lassana Diabaté has been hailed by Kronos Quartet’s David Harrington as a musician of Bach-like stature, while Gaoussou Kouyaté and Kerfala Diabaté bring generations of Malian and Guinean guitar tradition into contemporary focus.

Recorded in a single session with co-producers Dudu Sarr, Lucy Durán, and Pape Armand Boye, the project showcases the living vitality of the griot inheritance. 

“Mamelles” appears on the self-titled debut album Guitari Baro, due on 26 September as the first new-artist release on Chrysalis Global, the international jazz and folk imprint of Chrysalis Records. Following the album, the trio will embark on a European tour through 2026, carrying their inspiring instrumental dialogue from Dakar to new audiences.

You can find more info and stream the single HERE