In 1970, when Malian kora legend Djelimady Sissoko recorded the landmark album New Ancient Strings with Sidiki Diabaté, he probably could have imagined the possibility that their two kora-playing sons--Ballaké Sissoko and Toumani Diabaté--might someday get together and record New Ancient Strings, as they did in 1998. But I doubt he could have pictured the group that Ballaké has assembled here, or the free-ranging griot jazz that they play together. This is the new guard of Manding instrumental music. Sissoko's wife, Mama Drabe, does sing on three of these eleven tracks, but by in large, this is music for kora, ngoni, and balafon.

Toumani Diabaté established the concept of having these instruments play in more or less a jazz context--without vocals--on his mid-'90s release Djelika. But it has to be said that Sissoko's group delivers considerably more fire power here. Ballaké is an excellent kora player, as he amply demonstrates on "Kouroutoukéléfa," a solo kora track in the Gambian mode, with racing melodies against an alternating, walking bass line. Perhaps hotter still are Adama Tounkara (nephew of guitar giant Djelimady Tounkara) on the ngoni spike lute, and Fassery Diabaté (son of balafon legend Keletigui Diabaté) on balafon. On the loping "Baya Baya," these two interact playfully, throwing riffs back and forth and transforming them on the fly. Aboubacar Dembélé holds down the groove on the four-string bolon, used here essentially as a bass.

The entire session bristles with dignity and precision, charged with a winning, youthful energy level. "Deli" is fleet and darting, "Da Monson" slow and loping, and two improvisations find the players inventing and conversing spontaneously with their instruments. The sense of connection in the group is remarkable. If there's any downside here at all, it might be Drabe's vocals. She's a very skilled singer, but her voice is a little thin. In a way, it might have been better to go all the way with the instrumental concept. It was once considered radical within the context of Manding traditional music. Even now, it is unusual to find the music performed this way in Mali. But this record is sure to catch on, and when it does, a whole new genre may be born. If so, this will surely be seen as a watershed session.

Contributed by: Banning Eyre for www.afropop.org