Ablaye Cissoko

Ablaye Cissoko is a Senegalese musician, singer and composer, who plays the kora. His show, called "Le Griot Rouge" (named after his second album), is about the legend of the man who has created the kora. During his performances, Ablaye Cissoko transmits with smoothness, grace and intelligence the values of a generous tradition and sings with sincerity about peace and the respect of the other. He plays all around the world — his tours have passed through Portugal, France, Belgium, Senegal, Mali, Canada, Germany, Norway and Russia, among other countries. 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. A 2011 feature-length documentary, "Griot," directed by Volker Goetze, follows Cissoko, who is determined to preserve his thousand-year-old tradition. In the documentary Cissoko has a dream to have a thriving cultural center where children can come to learn the traditions of their forefathers.