Leni Stern Talks Composing and Recording During the Pandemic Leni Stern is a guitarist, singer/songwriter and band leader whose music spans jazz, folk, African, Latin and other global styles. She has been a presence in New York ’s live music scene for many years and has toured the world, working with a huge assortment of artists, including Malian stars Salif Keita and Bassekou Kouyate. Afropop ’s Banning Eyre has known and played with Leni for years, so their Zoom conversation about Leni ’s 22 CD Dance (out June 4, 2021) is as much a dialogue between old friends as a journalistic interview. Here it is!