We’re excited to share with you the release of an album that grew out of our music school in Mali.

Kirina Lolow is a traditional Malian music band formed by 2 former students of Ecole de musique de Kirina, two music teachers and the amazing young vocalist and composer Assetou Sissoko.

The band was formed in 2022 and has developed through a collaboration with other PFCF programs in Africa. In July 2022 the band was invited to perform in Tamale Ghana, home of the Bizung School of Music and Dance, and then traveled to Morocco to participate at the Zamane festival, organized by Joudour Sahara in M’Hamid el Ghizlane.

Watch the music video now of the first single Jarabi! Shot at Ecole de Musique de Kirina:

 

 

The album Lagare Setou, released today on all music platforms, was conceived in Mali, recorded in Ghana and Morocco and mixed in Spain over the last few months. It features 5 songs in the purest tradition of the mandinga music where the kora, balafon, talking drum and calabash lay down a steady and calm foundation for the vocal performance.

Amazingly, one year ago this outstanding band did not exist! This album is the result of a strong collaboration between PFCF programs in Africa to create new opportunities for each other in solidarity and in an aligning vision of African cultural development. Please support this cause so that more music can come out of these communities that lack such opportunities and resources. This album is a testament of such support to-date.

We’d like to give special thanks to PFCF collaborators Susie Ibarra and Jake Landau for assisting in the production and recording of these songs.