There will come a time when the “world music” genre marker will die its rightful death. But if it helps us find music like the Balimaya Project in the meantime, no complaints.

The London-based collective, led by Yahael Camara Onono, builds the bridge between jazz and the traditional repertoire and folklore of the Mandé peoples of West Africa. The compositions stretch for miles, percussion-centric, full of bright brass and an assortment of less widely-known axes from the music tradition.

Our highlighted track “Balimaya” leads off the LP Wolo So. It’s straight instrumental and moves along at a horse’s gallop. A percussive foundation launches a jazz parade of mini-solos, riffs, calls & responses as far as the eye can see.

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