Leni Stern is an eclectic, adventurous guitarist, having played in rock bands, and worked with her own acclaimed jazz-based trio with drummer Paul Motian and guitarist Bill Frisell, among many other projects.

It shouldn't be a surprise, then, that for the past half-decade Stern's been exploring yet another direction: collaboration with Malian musicians. Stern's latest, Sabani, was recorded in Salif Keita’s studio in Bamako, and is rightly being billed as, “a catchy dialogue across traditions.”

Catchy doesn’t mean insubstantial though - far from it. Ms. Stern’s exploration of West African music runs deep and is based on considerable experience and respect, as you’ll see from her following conversation with CBC World Music:

World Music (WM): What was the moment/sound/event that first got you hooked on music from Africa?

Stern: The first artist I fell in love on record with was Youssou N'Dour from Senegal. I was so fascinated by the sound of his band, the sound of his voice and the Sabaar rhythm, that I had to travel to Senegal to learn more.

WM:  After spending significant time in Africa, what has Africa taught you? As a person? As a musician?

Stern: I have spent most of my time in Africa in Mali, on the west coast. In general, Malians are not only extremely polite, but also genuinely nice and emotionally present. The warmth and hospitality I encountered exceeded anything I expected or have found anywhere else I've ever been in the world.

As a musician I have learned so much. We're taught in the U.S. about how the rhythms and styles of jazz, blues and rock have their origins in different musics of Africa. I didn't realize to what degree this is true until I first traded improvisations with Bassekou Kouyate, the great Malian n'goni player. I played my favorite John Lee Hooker and Albert King licks, and Bassekou complimented me on my knowledge of Malian music, which was nonexistent at that point.

WM: Musically, you've gravitated to West Africa. Why?

Stern: When I first went to play in Africa, I was invited to perform in West African music festivals, in Mali and Senegal. I was able to learn from and play with many musicians from this area, but I am fascinated by music from everywhere in the continent. There are wonderful guitar styles in every region that I enjoy immensely and learn from.

WM: Who are your greatest African teachers, and what have you learned from them that you wouldn't/couldn't have learned from, say, a jazz player based in North America?

Stern: Playing in Salif Keita's band was a PhD course in groove and  polyrhythms. The polyrhythmic aspect of African music is something you hear about in your training as a Jazz player, but I'd never been immersed in that world so fully.

I also owe a huge debt to the musicians I've worked with at my home in New York City, including Kofo from Nigeria, Brahim Fribgane from Morocco, and Mamadou Ba from Senegal. I learn about the diversity of African rhythms every time we play.

WM: Of the many possible African instruments you could embrace, you've been pulled to the ngoni? What about the ngoni is so magnetic?

Stern: On my first trip to Mali, I performed at the Festival in the Desert with Bassekou Kouyate. He has revolutionized and modernized the n'goni. His mastery made me want to study with him, so I started playing n'goni. It also helps that the technique is similar to the guitar.

WM: You played at the 50th anniversary of Malian independence. What do you remember most from that experience?

Stern: The sound of 15 n'gonis playing together, which sounded so much like an entire Western string orchestra playing pizzicato.

WM: How have your experiences in Africa changed the way you write, play and think about music?

Stern: Since spending time working with African musicians, when I write, I always start with the groove.  I have also learned that you can't play the rhythms until you can dance them.