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The kora is the living heart of West African classical music, and Seckou Keita has been called 鈥渢he Hendrix of the kora鈥� 鈥� though as he鈥檚 quick to point out, his artistry spans genres and cultures. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know if I鈥檓 a folk musician, a jazz or a world one鈥�, he said, upon being named Musician of the Year at 麻豆官网首页入口 Radio 2鈥檚 2019 Folk Awards. 鈥淔orget about categories. My music is just music from the soul鈥�.

Tonight, he鈥檚 crossing borders again: sharing the stage with cellist-vocalist Ayanna Witter-Johnson, with Nottingham neighbour Konya Kanneh-Mason (piano), with the beats of Suntou Susso (percussion) and with the groove of Davide Mantovani (double bass). Keita's African Rhapsodies introduces the kora to the symphony orchestra and asks what Bach or Beethoven might have written, had they travelled to Africa. Few artists are better-placed to imagine the answer 鈥� or bring it to dazzling, emotionally-charged life.