[Afropop] When we at Afropop Worldwide learned that the great Malian kora player Toumani Diabaté had died of kidney failure this past July (2024), we knew we had to find a special way to honor him. We had known him for nearly 35 years, and had many interviews and recordings with him. We also knew that we had to speak with Lucy Durán, his longtime producer and friend. Lucy wears many hats. She is a scholar, a writer, a seasoned BBC broadcast host, and a formidable music producer. Beyond all that, her