Live review: Trio Da Kali at RNCM Manchester

By Chloe Beth Smith

Following their formation in 2012, Trio Da Kali have dazzled audiences with their powerful and mesmerising performances in the UK, France and even the United States. Brought together by the Aga Khan Initiative, a scheme that works by uniting talented musicians across much of Central Asia and now also in Mali, Trio Da Kali play the music of the Griots of their Mande culture with a more modern and original feel.
The Manchester show took place in the Studio Theatre of the Royal Northern College of Music, an intimate venue which seats around 100 audience members., The almost full audience sat in the dim studio eagerly anticipating what was to come.
Opening the show, Hawa Kassé Mady Diabaté slowly drifted onto the spot lit stage and instantly mesmerised the audience with the powerful yet delicate tone of her a cappella voice. The ease with which she performed, commanded the stage and the atmosphere in the audience was noticeably relaxed. Balafonist and proclaimed leader of the ensemble, Lassana Diabaté soon joined Hawa on stage and the pair communicated beautifully. As Lassana alternated between mellow accompaniment of Hawa's vocal passages and his own extremely virtuosic playing through solo passages in which the mallets floated across the keys in a rapid blur of crisp, melismatic melodies. The pair was soon joined by the punching bass lines of Mamadou Kouyaté on an amplified ngoni, which brought the music to a more contemporary setting.
As the show progressed into the second half the audience eased into the groovy feel of the music, being persuaded by the musicians to dance and even sing along to certain passages. A wide smile of satisfaction was constantly visible across Lassana's face throughout the performance, perfectly reflecting the contentment of the audience.
Trio Da Kali are a superb example of a group of extremely skilled musicians working together in harmony, who perfectly compliment each other’s musical talents and tone. Their recently released EP with World Circuit is a great recording of wedding songs that allows for their music to be heard otherwise, though their energy and stamina still make for a must see live show.

Photo by Chloe Beth Smith