200% !! Awesome !! Thanks to all the contributors, keep up with the support !

Here is a video where Cherif presents his instruments, the kora, this 21 string african harp.

Sébastien Giniaux did a video about his guitar, and some insights on the african way of playing it :

After a first collaboration on « Mélodie des Choses » (2012), Sébastien Giniaux (acoustic guitar, cello) and Chérif Soumano (kora) gather again as a duet this time on African Variations for an intimate dialogue between jazz and African Music. They're joined by talended French-Syrian flutist Naïssam Jalal on two tracks.

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Sébastien Giniaux and Cherif Soumano met 10 years ago in Bamako, Mali. As talented and skilfuls sidemen, open to broad musical encouters, they each found their way alongside top artists for years.

Cherif Soumano played with the likes of Dee Dee Bridgewater, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Roberto Fonseca and Marcus Miller.

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Sébastien Giniaux played with Didier Lockwood, Biréli Lagrène or the Taraf de Haidouks, while composing and arranging for Téofilo Chantre ou Norig.

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Then, Sebastien Giniaux naturally invited Sharif on his album "Melodie des Choses" released in 2012 (http://www.melodiedeschoses.com) for two tracks, already mixing jazz improvisation and African music : "Bamako's mood" and "Alkoholowa Nuda".

After this first successful collaboration, the idea came to do a record together. Sébastien on the acoustic guitar and cello and Chérif with the Kora. They also invited a talented flutist, the French Syrian Naïssam Jalal. Naissam2-1456321816 "African Variations" has 10 tracks: 6 acoustic guitar / kora duets, 2 cello / kora duets and 2 guitar / kora / flute pieces. There are a few traditional West Africa, original tunes by Cherif Soumano and Sébastien Giniaux, as well as unexpected covers : "A day in Paradise" by Phil Collins and "A thousand years" of Sting.

The recording took place at Midilive Studios (Studio A) with André Baille Barrelle as producer and sound engineer.

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