Ballaké Sissoko (born 1968) is a Malian player of the kora. He has worked with Toumani Diabaté and Taj Mahal, and is a member of the group 3MA with Driss El Maloumi and Rajery.
Ballaké's father, Djelimady Sissoko, was a notable musician from the Gambia in his own right[1] who moved to Mali and was funded by the government to be part of the national orchestra.[2] Sissoko started playing music at a young age, as most born into the jeli or griot caste do.[3] In 1981, when he was 13, Sissoko's father died, and he took his father's place within the Ensemble Instrumental National du Mali.[2] He also performed with several prominent female singers before coming to fame through his duet with Toumani Diabaté in 1999.[4] 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 record Chamber Music released in October 2009 was the result of a collaboration with Vincent Ségal, 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.
He released a solo album, At Peace, in 2013. Ségal produced the album and plays on several tracks.
In 2023, Sissoko premiered a Concerto for Kora by the Lebanese composer Zad Moultaka at the Radio France concert hall in Paris.[5]
As of 2024, since 2022 Sissoko has been collaborating in duo concerts with Derek Gripper of South Africa, who has transcribed a lot of kora music to play on his own classical guitar,[6][7] with an album to be released circa April 2024.
The Broken Kora affairedit
On returning from a 2020 US tour, Sissoko checked in his €5000 custom-made kora at the airport in New York for the flight back to Paris. On his arrival he discovered that the instrument had been dismantled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency.[8][9] According to Sissoko's manager, Corinne Serres, "Even if all the components that had been dismantled remained intact, it would take weeks for a kora of this calibre to return to its former state of resonance.".[10] The customs agency, however, denied opening the kora case which should not have triggered an alarm in the security scanners.[11]
Sissoko's 2021 album Djourou, also released by No Format, takes its name from these events.[2]
Discographyedit
1998 - Kora Music from Mali Kora-Solo Album (bibiafrica records)
^"Malian musician Ballake Sissoko says US customs broke his kora". Al Jazeera. from the original on 2023-05-27.
^"Au Mali, polémique au sujet de la mise en pièces de la kora de Ballaké Sissoko". February 7, 2020 – via Le Monde.
^"US customs dismantled 'impossible to replace' instrument, Mali musician says". The Guardian. 2020-02-06. from the original on 2023-05-27.
External linksedit
No Format
January 01, 1970
ballaké, sissoko, born, 1968, malian, player, kora, worked, with, toumani, diabaté, mahal, member, group, with, driss, maloumi, rajery, sissoko, left, performing, with, during, concert, cartagena, spain, background, informationborn1968originmaligenresworldinst. Ballake Sissoko born 1968 is a Malian player of the kora He has worked with Toumani Diabate and Taj Mahal and is a member of the group 3MA with Driss El Maloumi and Rajery Ballake SissokoSissoko left performing with 3MA during a concert in Cartagena Spain Background informationBorn1968OriginMaliGenresWorldInstrument s KoraLabelsIndigo Records Six Degrees Records Contents 1 Biography 2 The Broken Kora affair 3 Discography 4 References 5 External linksBiography editBallake s father Djelimady Sissoko was a notable musician from the Gambia in his own right 1 who moved to Mali and was funded by the government to be part of the national orchestra 2 Sissoko started playing music at a young age as most born into the jeli or griot caste do 3 In 1981 when he was 13 Sissoko s father died and he took his father s place within the Ensemble Instrumental National du Mali 2 He also performed with several prominent female singers before coming to fame through his duet with Toumani Diabate in 1999 4 In 2000 he formed the trio Mande Tabolo with an n goni player and a balafon player His 2005 album Tomora features Toumani Diabate on kora singers Alboulkadri Barry and Rokia Traore and Fanga Diawara violin soloist of the Mali National Instrumental Ensemble His record Chamber Music released in October 2009 was 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 He released a solo album At Peace in 2013 Segal produced the album and plays on several tracks In 2023 Sissoko premiered a Concerto for Kora by the Lebanese composer Zad Moultaka at the Radio France concert hall in Paris 5 As of 2024 since 2022 Sissoko has been collaborating in duo concerts with Derek Gripper of South Africa who has transcribed a lot of kora music to play on his own classical guitar 6 7 with an album to be released circa April 2024 The Broken Kora affair editOn returning from a 2020 US tour Sissoko checked in his 5000 custom made kora at the airport in New York for the flight back to Paris On his arrival he discovered that the instrument had been dismantled by U S Customs and Border Protection agency 8 9 According to Sissoko s manager Corinne Serres Even if all the components that had been dismantled remained intact it would take weeks for a kora of this calibre to return to its former state of resonance 10 The customs agency however denied opening the kora case which should not have triggered an alarm in the security scanners 11 Sissoko s 2021 album Djourou also released by No Format takes its name from these events 2 Discography edit1998 Kora Music from Mali Kora Solo Album bibiafrica records 1999 New Ancient Strings with Toumani Diabate Hannibal Ryko 2000 Deli Label Bleu Indigo 2003 Diario Mali Label Ponderosa with Ludovico Einaudi 2005 Tomora Label Bleu Indigo 2009 Chamber Music No Format Six Degrees with Vincent Segal 2011 Humbling Tides Talitres Records No Format with Stranded Horse 2013 At Peace 2015 Musique de Nuit with Vincent Segal 2017 Anarouz with Driss al Maloumy oud and Rajery valiha featuring string instruments from Mali Morocco and Madagascar 2019 Sissoko amp Sissoko with Baba Sissoko on ngonis tama and vocals 2021 Djourou 2 2021 A Touma 2023 Les Egares with Vincent Segal cello Emile Parisien saxophone amp Vincent Peirani accordian 2024 with Derek GripperReferences edit World Music Central a b c d Ballake Sissoko picking up the pieces after US customs broke his kora the Guardian 2021 04 07 Retrieved 2021 04 07 Bureau Export Artist Archived from the original on 2006 11 25 Retrieved 2009 01 05 MusicMe Musique gratuite telechargement mp3 video clips HD L Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France invite le joueur de kora Ballake Sissoko Radio France 2024 05 15 Retrieved 2024 05 16 Philips Derrick March 20 2024 Derek Gripper and Ballake Sissoko craft musical bridges at the Ellnora Reverb Series Smile Politely Retrieved 2024 03 21 Ballake Sissoko kora and Derek Gripper guitar astounding improvised performance at SOAS 2022 Derek Gripper 2023 Retrieved 2024 03 21 Mali musician Ballake Sissoko claims US customs broke instrument BBC 2020 02 06 Malian musician Ballake Sissoko says US customs broke his kora Al Jazeera Archived from the original on 2023 05 27 Au Mali polemique au sujet de la mise en pieces de la kora de Ballake Sissoko February 7 2020 via Le Monde US customs dismantled impossible to replace instrument Mali musician says The Guardian 2020 02 06 Archived from the original on 2023 05 27 External links editCalabash Music Profile No Format Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ballake Sissoko amp oldid 1224209711, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
