Bala: Album Release Party

The Centre for Sound Communities invites the CBU community and the public to a unique hybrid celebration for the release of Bala, a groundbreaking new album by Malian master balafón player Lassana Diabaté.

Co-produced by the CSC and released globally through Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, Bala was recorded entirely on the CBU campus. The project blends traditional West African Mande music with original compositions inspired by Diabaté’s time as a visiting artist in Cape Breton.

The in-person gathering at the CSC will feature live music by local musicians and CBU students who collaborated with Lassana during his visit. The on-campus watch party will connect via Zoom with parallel community events in Halifax and Chéticamp, as well as with Lassana Diabaté himself, who will be joining live from Mali. The performances will be followed by a discussion about the music and the making of the album.

This project and the resulting community celebrations are made possible through the collaborative support of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and the Communauté Francophone Accueillante de la région de Chéticamp.

Registration Details: Attendance is free. For those joining the celebration virtually, registration is strictly required.

Virtual Registration: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/7MyCt7GXRjKq1IxYbos1vg