Monday's mp3: Tabla meets Palm Wine

Koo Nimo is the stage name for Ghanian "palm wine" guitar player Daniel Amponsah. Actually his birth name was Kwabena Boa-Amponsem, but whatever you call him, he's a West African guitar legend.

Vishal Nagar is a young tabla virtuoso who is steeped in tradition, but apparently eager to explore the intersection of cultures. I first saw him in a wonderful 2002 performance blending Indian traditional music with flamenco.

Both musicians have spent time teaching and performing in the Seattle area. And at some point, they connected and decided to record a five-song album together. The album is apparently out of print and unavailable. If any of you know the story of their collaboration, please get in touch. In the meantime, today's offering is an unusual but effective blend of Nagar's tabla with Nimo's voice and guitar.

[mp3] Koo Nimo & Vishal Nagar: "It Takes So Much Energy to Hate"
from their self-titled album released in 1999 on Minimum Wage Records

More about Koo Nimo
More about Vishal Nagar