Ma released recordings of the six unaccompanied Bach suites for cello in 1997 and 1998, for the second time in his career. Ma released Soul of the Tango on sony classes, after delving into most other American genres.
In 1993 RCA Victor released Ma's rendition of "Variations on a Rococo Theme," recorded live at the Tchaikovsky: Gala in Leningrad, celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of Tchaikovsky's birth. Ma went to the Kalahari Desert to record with the Bushmen.
Ma's repertoire and credits by the end of the 1990's included performances with jazz vocalists, country fiddlers, tango musicians, and other non-classical artists.