Description
First released in 1999, Kulanjan stands as a landmark recording - a powerful and inspired collaboration between Grammy-winning legends Taj Mahal and Toumani Diabate. Bringing together American blues and the ancient musical traditions of West Africa, the album forged a conversation across continents and centuries, uniting these rich lineages in a way that had never been heard before. Praised by former President Barack Obama, called it "a beautiful melding of traditional blues and music from Mali by two great masters."
Taj Mahal, widely regarded as a blues icon, is celebrated for his extensive exploration of roots music, traversing the American South, the Caribbean, and Africa. Toumani Diabate, a virtuoso of the kora (a 21-string West African harp) hailed from a family of griots, or traditional storytellers, and is recognised as perhaps the greatest kora player in history.
Vinyl - Making its vinyl debut, this new remaster of Kulanjan across 2LP's with sleeve notes by producer Lucy Duran and previously unseen photography from the sessions. The format is a 2LP Standard Black Vinyl, 5mm Wide Spine Sleeve with printed inner bags.
CD/BR - The new boxset takes a deep-dive into the Kulanjan sessions, featuring a new remaster the album, a second CD of previously unreleased material from the period, a Blu-ray with immersive Dolby Atmos mixes by Grammy-winning engineer, Morten Lindberg, plus performances from the BBC and the EPK. Along with a booklet including a new introduction from Taj Mahal, extensive sleeve notes from co-producers Lucy Duran and Joe Boyd, Cosima Spender, and Morten Lindberg, with a previously unseen photography from the sessions. The format is a DVD sized Rigid Slipcase, 6 panel Digisleeve containing 2CD / 1 Blu-ray and a 54-page booklet.