Written by Michael Polychronis
In 2024, after so many years of listening to musical works from the past 40 or more years in the hive we’ve come to call world music, there are just a few that managed to move you, transported you to their own space and time, and made you want to enjoy them again, as if they had been waiting for years to meet you, regardless of whether they were written months or years ago. This is how, karmically, as you come into contact with them, the two creators of “The Sky Is The Same Colour Everywhere” also came into contact with each other. It was as if they recognized a secret, deep connection, perhaps from other lives, other worlds, which always leave a common imprint, a legacy for each era.
Kayhan Kahlor (1964, Iran) is a leading virtuoso of the kamancheh (a type of lyre), with many Grammys to his name. His Kurdish heritage helped him deeply understand not only the traditions of his homeland but also to give a global dimension to the mystical sound of the instrument he masters. He has collaborated with prominent musicians from around the world.
Following a similar artistic path was one of the most famous players of the African harp (kora), Toumani Diabate, who was born in Mali in 1965 and unfortunately passed away on July 19, 2024. Through his mastery, he managed to breathe new life into an instrument that previously seemed somewhat limited in sound in older original African sound recordings.
Challenges have always been the lifeblood of artists, driving art to reach its highest expression. Both artists shared a common focus on collaborations with musicians and genres that would act as bridges between cultures and soundscapes, often seemingly incompatible with one another. However, the deep experience of these creators and the inner spark that their instincts dictated made the result feel natural and unexpectedly astonishing.
The meeting between Diabate and Kahlor was no coincidence. The idea for the duet is credited to the director of the Morgenland Festival in Osnabrück, Germany, where Kayhan had participated in many collaborations. The first collaboration with an African musician soon followed. “The qualities of minimalism and trance (meditative style) that I like in Persian music are also present in Diabate’s music,” said Kahlor. “That’s how I like to tell a story. This quality in African music always fascinates me, and I think Diabate does it exceptionally well.”
The meeting and initial rehearsals for the performance, which later evolved into a tour, also enchanted Diabate. “It’s as if this music was already there waiting for us, and it’s like the two of us already knew each other from another life.” That’s why the preparation was minimal, without even discussing scales or structure, just a sound check “where we tested a few things and then played for 90 minutes,” Toumani confessed.
The first performances took place in September 2016, followed by a short European tour. Shortly after, they recorded in Paris, during which, as Kayhan said, “the form of the piece didn’t really change.”
In fact, the album consists of a characteristic melody based on Kurdish, Malian, and Persian elements, divided into nine tracks that undoubtedly sound like one continuous piece. Fifty minutes that pass by effortlessly, leaving you with a taste of sweetness that you can’t get enough of, making you start it all over again, not just once…
The sound of the kamancheh is inevitably stronger acoustically, and the kora has always seemed like an accompanying instrument, filling in the gaps. But here, the improvisation, the exchange of ideas, the harmonious dialogue between the two traditions, solely for the sake of music, and the incredible flow of listening without any interruptions place the album “The Sky Is The Same Colour Everywhere” among the best—not only for the creators themselves, for the genre they represent, for 2023, but I dare say, for the entire fusion/world/global music scene.
Though the nine sub-pieces on the album are filled with improvisation, they do not serve as a showcase for the duo’s virtuosity. Both are humble, mesmerizing, respecting their audience and listeners, becoming servants of Art. At no point do they tire, often reminding us of the basic melody upon which they build their shared vision of the seamless and natural fusion of African and Persian traditions, resulting in a work that listeners in Greece, Australia, Sweden, or Brazil can enjoy with joy and spiritual elevation!
The carefully chosen title of the album comes from the poem “Ballad of the Wayfarer” by the Iranian poet Mehdi Akhavan-Sales (1929–1990). Now, with migration and the refugee crisis once again at the forefront of current events, such initiatives signal their second but equally important role—not one of division, but of unity. “Kayhan and I may come from different countries, but we come from the same place,” said Toumani Diabate, for whom this collaboration was destined to be his swan song.
It’s worth owning this release in its physical form, as we predict it will be fondly remembered from now on for all the reasons you’ve read above. It’s a shame it wasn’t released earlier to inspire more artists and captivate even more listeners!
It is also available as a double vinyl!
https://realworldrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-sky-is-the-same-colour-everywhere
