Ablaye Cissoko is a Senegalese musician, singer and composer, who plays the kora.

Ablaye Cissoko
Ablaye Cissoko at the 2012 Seminci
Ablaye Cissoko at the 2012 Seminci
Background information
Born1970
Kolda, Senegal
GenresWorld, world fusion
Occupation(s)Musician, singer, composer
Instrument(s)Kora
Years active1982–present[1]
LabelsObliqSound, Motéma Music
Websiteablaye-cissoko.com

Career edit

As a solo musician, he has played live shows in several countries, including Portugal, France, Belgium, Senegal, Mali, Canada, Germany, Norway and Russia. He has collaborated extensively with trumpeter Volker Goetze and they have released three albums as a duo: Sira in 2008, Amanké Dionti in 2012 and Djaliya in 2014. Sira entered the top 10 world music radio chart on CMJ in January 2009.[2]

Another collaboration with the Constantinople ensemble playing traditional Persian music resulted in the albums Jardins migrateurs (2012) and Traversées (2019).[citation needed]

Film edit

A 2011 feature-length documentary, Griot, directed by Volker Goetze, follows Cissoko, who is determined to preserve his thousand-year-old kora tradition. In the documentary Cissoko has a dream to have a thriving cultural centre where children can come to learn the traditions of their forefathers.[3]

Discography edit

Solo

  • 2003: Diam (Ma Case / L'autre distribution)
  • 2005: Le Griot Rouge (Ma Case / L'autre distribution)
  • 2013: Mes Racines

with Volker Goetze

with Cyrille Brotto

  • 2022: Deme Deme

with Majid Bekkas

  • 2011: Mabrouk (Bee Jazz)

with Simon Goubert

  • 2012: African Jazz Roots (Cristal)

References edit

  1. ^ "Ablaye Cissoko, Griot and kora player".
  2. ^ "Bio". volkergoetze.com. 19 October 2018. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  3. ^ "GRIOT". volkergoetze.com. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.

External links edit