Nicole Mitchell, an accomplished flutist-composer from North Carolina, collaborates with Malian kora virtuoso Ballaké Sissoko on their latest single, “Se Wa Kole,” from the album Bamako*Chicago Sound System.

The partnership, first formed in Paris in 2014 and later recorded in Chicago in 2017, brings together Mitchell’s BLACK EARTH ENSEMBLE, including musicians like Jeff Parker and JoVia Armstrong, with Sissoko’s rich Malian musical heritage.

Released on the 23rd of August by FPE Records, the album fuses jazz, African, and global influences. “Se Wa Kole” particularly showcases a blend of avant-garde jazz with traditional Malian music, highlighted by Sissoko’s kora and rhythmic African percussion alongside contemporary jazz frameworks. The track features intricate exchanges between Mitchell’s flute and Sissoko’s kora, merging fluid melodies and complex rhythms to bridge cultural gaps. This musical synthesis not only displays their technical prowess but also their dedication to merging diverse musical traditions and stories.

You can listen to and get your copy of the album HERE