Toumani Diabaté

She wanted everything to work naturally. In Mali, I played and she sang, trying lyrics she had brought until the syllables fit and they had a few songs. She chose “Hope“ and handed another one to me. She said, ‘Take this and use it any way you like.’ I couldn’t imagine a superstar doing that. She opened a new door for the kora.

the New York Times, 29 april 2007