Ballaké Sissoko
Encyclopedia
Ballaké Sissoko is a noted player of the kora
. He has worked with Toumani Diabaté
and Taj Mahal
and several others. He can be heard on Diario Mali
. Ballaké's father, Djelimady Sissoko, was a notable musician in his own right.
Djelimady Sissoko, Sissoko started playing music at a young age, as most born into the griot caste do. He played in the Instrumental Ensemble of Mali, and then with several prominent female singers before coming to fame through his duet with Toumani Diabaté
in 1981. In 2000, he formed the trio Mande Tabolo with an n’goni player and a balafon player.
His 2005 album, Tomora, features Toumani Diabaté
on kora, singers Alboulkadri Barry and Rokia Traoré
and Fanga Diawara, violin soloist of the Mali National Instrumental Ensemble.
His latest record Chamber Music
released in October 2009 is the result of a collaboration with Vincent Segal, a classical cellist known for his work with bumcello, and was released by French label No Format!
and the U.S. label Six Degrees Records
.
Kora (instrument)
The kora is a 21-string bridge-harp used extensively in West Africa.-Description:A kora is built from a large calabash cut in half and covered with cow skin to make a resonator, and has a notched bridge. It does not fit well into any one category of western instruments and would have to be...
. He has worked with Toumani Diabaté
Toumani Diabaté
Toumani Diabaté is a Malian kora player. In addition to performing the traditional music of Mali, he has also been involved in cross-cultural collaborations with flamenco, blues, jazz, and other international styles.-Biography:...
and Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal (musician)
Henry Saint Clair Fredericks , who uses the stage name Taj Mahal, is an American Grammy Award winning blues musician. He incorporates elements of world music into his music...
and several others. He can be heard on Diario Mali
Diario Mali
Diario Mali is a collaboration of Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi on piano and Malian musician Ballaké Sissoko on kora. It was released in Europe in 2003.-Track listings:# "Laissez moi en paix"# "Entre nous"# "Soutoukou"# "Chanson d'amour"...
. Ballaké's father, Djelimady Sissoko, was a notable musician in his own right.
Biography
The son of renowned griotGriot
A griot or jeli is a West African storyteller. The griot delivers history as a poet, praise singer, and wandering musician. The griot is a repository of oral tradition. As such, they are sometimes also called bards...
Djelimady Sissoko, Sissoko started playing music at a young age, as most born into the griot caste do. He played in the Instrumental Ensemble of Mali, and then with several prominent female singers before coming to fame through his duet with Toumani Diabaté
Toumani Diabaté
Toumani Diabaté is a Malian kora player. In addition to performing the traditional music of Mali, he has also been involved in cross-cultural collaborations with flamenco, blues, jazz, and other international styles.-Biography:...
in 1981. In 2000, he formed the trio Mande Tabolo with an n’goni player and a balafon player.
His 2005 album, Tomora, features Toumani Diabaté
Toumani Diabaté
Toumani Diabaté is a Malian kora player. In addition to performing the traditional music of Mali, he has also been involved in cross-cultural collaborations with flamenco, blues, jazz, and other international styles.-Biography:...
on kora, singers Alboulkadri Barry and Rokia Traoré
Rokia Traoré
Rokia Traoré is a Victoires de la Musique award-winning Malian singer, songwriter and guitarist. Born in Mali as a member of the Bambara ethnic group, her father was a diplomat and she travelled widely in her youth. She visited such countries as Algeria, Saudi Arabia, France and Belgium and was...
and Fanga Diawara, violin soloist of the Mali National Instrumental Ensemble.
His latest record Chamber Music
Chamber Music (Ballake Sissoko and Vincent Segal album)
Chamber Music is an album by Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Segal. It was released in 2009 by the French label No Format! and in 2011 by the U.S. label Six Degrees Records...
released in October 2009 is the result of a collaboration with Vincent Segal, a classical cellist known for his work with bumcello, and was released by French label No Format!
No Format!
No Format! is an independent record label based in Paris and created in 2004.The label seeks to invest in original musical projects, be them instrumental or vocal, and has built up a catalogue of 18 works since its inception...
and the U.S. label Six Degrees Records
Six Degrees Records
Six Degrees Records is an independent record label noted for its catalog of recordings from international musicians and vocalists. It has been described by the journalist and producer Derek Beres as "one of the most groundbreaking labels of the past decade."...
.
Discography
- 1998 - Kora Music from Mali KOra-Solo Album (bibiafrica records)
- 1999 - New Ancient Strings with Toumani Diabaté (Hannibal-Ryko / Harmonia Mundi)
- 2000 - Deli (Label Bleu/Indigo)
- 2003 - Ludovico Einaudi/Ballake Sissoko: Diario Mali (Label Ponderosa)
- 2005 - Tomora (Label Bleu/Indigo)
- 2009 - Chamber MusicChamber Music (Ballake Sissoko and Vincent Segal album)Chamber Music is an album by Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Segal. It was released in 2009 by the French label No Format! and in 2011 by the U.S. label Six Degrees Records...
(No Format!/Six Degrees) with Vincent SegalVincent SégalVincent Ségal, is a French cellist and bassist born in 1967 in the French city of Reims.He is a conservatory musician from the National Music Academy of Lyon who also studied at Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada. He is mainly known for the variety of his collaborations and out of the ordinary...
External links
- Calabash Music Profile
- http://www.noformat.net/BALLAKE+SISSOKO+%26AMP;+VINCENT+SEGAL-CHAMBER+MUSIC-medias.html