#5203, Global Chamber Music

Chamber music is often associated with classical music from the Western hemisphere. But for the rest of the world, chamber orchestras come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with unusual instruments such as the Chinese pipa, hammered dulcimer, and more.

Malian kora player Ballaké Sissoko frequently collaborates with European musicians to enrich his prolific discography with multi-cultural works. One of those musicians is the experimental French cellist Vincent Ségal. We have “Chamber Music” and “La Chanson des Egarés” from the duo on tonight’s playlist, with the addition of Emile Parisien on saxophone and Vincent Peirani on accordion on the latter piece.

Later, Cuban pianist Roberto Fonseca’s emotional song “Por Ti” blurs the lines between classical music and jazz traditions. Spanish trio Ketama joins bassist Danny Thompson and the late Malian kora master Toumani Diabaté on “Caramelo” for a true fusion of new flamenco and Afropop elements. Taiwanese pipa player Chung Yufeng is also influenced by flamenco music in “Pipamenco,” playing Spanish modes and rhythmic patterns alongside Hungarian violinist Zoltán Lantos and South Indian percussionist Ramesh Shotham.

From the Americas, free jazz and world fusion trio Codona offers their self-titled piece, in which each member plays various instruments including the hammered dulcimer and wooden flutes. Virtuoso banjo player Béla Fleck expands his brand of folk music with the inventor of Indian slide guitar Mohan veena, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Chinese erhu player Jie-Bing Chen, and Indian flautist Ronu Majumdar on "Rādhā Kṛṣṇa Līlā." We close the episode with another offering from Majumdar, joined by oud player Simon Shaheen: “Mists - Rāg Pahāṛi / Maqām 'Ajam.” - Sırma Munyar

(Photo of Ballaké Sissoko, Vincent Segal,, Vincent Peirani, and Emile Parisien, sourced from ballakesissoko.com)

Program #5203, Global Chamber Music (First aired 11/05/26)

ARTIST: Sissoko Segal Parisien Peirani 
WORK: La Chanson des Egarés [2:00]
RECORDING: Les Égarés
SOURCE: NO FORMAT!
INFO: https://sissokosegalparisienpeirani.bandcamp.com/album/les-gar-s-3

ARTIST: Ballaké Sissoko, Vincent Ségal
WORK: Chamber Music [5:31]
RECORDING: Chamber Music
SOURCE: NO FORMAT!
INFO: https://sissokosegal.bandcamp.com/album/chamber-music

ARTIST: Roberto Fonseca
WORK: Por Ti [5:40]
RECORDING: Yesun
SOURCE: Mack Avenue Music Group
INFO: https://www.robertofonseca.com/en/

ARTIST: Sissoko Segal Parisien Peirani 
WORK: La Chanson des Egarés [7:01]
RECORDING: Les Égarés
SOURCE: NO FORMAT!
INFO: https://sissokosegalparisienpeirani.bandcamp.com/album/les-gar-s-3

ARTIST: Ketama, Danny Thompson, Toumani Diabaté
WORK: Caramelo [4:21]
RECORDING: Songhai
SOURCE: Nuevos Medios
INFO: https://www.discogs.com/master/105976-Ketama-2-Toumani-Diabate-Danny-Thompson-Songhai

ARTIST: Chung Yufeng, Ramesh Shotham, Zoltán Lantos
WORK: Pipamenco [4:48]
RECORDING: Pendulum
SOURCE: Trees Music & Art, Inc.
INFO: https://www.chungyufeng.com/recordings-2/pendulum

ARTIST: Codona
WORK: Codona [6:16]
RECORDING: Codona
SOURCE: ECM
INFO: https://ecmrecords.com/product/the-codona-trilogy-don-cherry-nana-vasconcelos-collin-walcott/

ARTIST: Béla Fleck, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Jie-Bing Chen, Ronu Majumdar
WORK: Rādhā Kṛṣṇa Līlā [6:43]
RECORDING: Tabula Rasā
SOURCE: Water Lily Acoustics
INFO: https://waterlilyacoustics.com/catalog

ARTIST: Simon Shaheen & Vishwa Mohan Bhatt
WORK: Mists - Rāg Pahāṛi / Maqām 'Ajam [3:27]
RECORDING: Saltanah
SOURCE: Water Lily Acoustics
INFO: https://waterlilyacoustics.com/catalog