National Geographic Music (National Geographic)

Malian kora player Ballaké Sissoko and French cellist Vincent Ségal recently announced a series of North American tour dates in support of their 2009 release Chamber Music (Six Degrees).

Recorded in Salif Keita's Mouffou Studio in Bamako, Mali - which sits astride the bank of the Niger river - Chamber Music captured the vibe of that great African waterway - relaxed and easygoing on the surface, but with a profound undertow that catches the unwary off their guard. Ségal's training in the European classical tradition meshed in beautiful and unexpected ways with Sissoko's mastery of the rigorous djeli tradition, initiating an ongoing dialogue between two very different string traditions.

"Most people think of African music in terms of fast dance beats and percussion, perhaps because much of that music is so good," Ségal explains. "But you have a forest of different instruments, a variety of sounds and feelings. The quiet, pensive side of African music is what Ballaké shared with me, and what we bring to our collaboration."

"It was important to get to know each other musically. For quite some time we got together at Vincent's home whenever I was in Paris," Sissoko says. "We built our work together, step by step. Today, when we play, we understand each other without saying a word: One look is enough."

The duo last beguiled Stateside audiences with a stellar performance at New York's annual globalFEST in January - where the delicate interplay of the two virtuosi and their smart fusion of European and African instrumental traditions were one of the most talked about events of the festival.

Now Sissoko and Ségal are bringing their unique sound to audiences all over Canada and the U.S., with performances in Chicago, Minneapolis, Toronto and New York City. Complete tour dates below.

Ballaké Sissoko & Vincent Ségal North American Tour Dates:

9/17: Old Town School of Folk Music, Chicago, IL
9/20: The Cedar, Minneapolis, MN
9/22: Small World Music, Toronto, ON
9/23: L'Astral, Montreal, QC
9/24: Palais Montcalm, Quebec City, Quebec
9/27: Elebash Recital Hall, New York, NY
9/30: Colony Theater, Miami, FL