Sona Jobareh, Ablaye Cissoko & Cyrille Brotto are on #SessionLive
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Kora was in the spotlight at #SessionLive with Sona Jobareh (GB/Gambia) and Ablaye Cissoko (Senegal).
Kora Virtuoso | singer | Writing | Educator | Activist: this is what is written on the Sona Jobarteh website, and it is true.
Sona Jobareth born in 1983 in London (United Kingdom) into a family of griots (by father). Songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist (guitar, cello, piano, harpsichord and kora), Sona Jobarteh is one of the rare women who became a professional choir player who was born into a griot family alias Sona Jobarteh. After discovering music with his older brother, the Anglo-Gambian artist asked his father, Sanjally Jobarte (Toumani Diabaté’s first cousin), to teach him choral art and the secrets of Mandinka music. Which she accepts on the condition that she finds her way, to avoid comments like “She plays the kora well, for a woman…”. Besides her musical activities, Sona Jobarteh founded a school in Gambia.The Gambian Academyand tell us about his ideas on education in Africa.
He studied at the Royal College of Music in Kensington (cello, piano and harpsichord) then at the Purcell School of Music in Bushey (composition).
He played a duet with Ballaké Cissoko on the album Djorou see the video.
Check out his duet with his son Sidiki on CNN.
Sona released a new album Badnyaa Kumoo. He came to #SessionLive to perform 2 songs from the record.
The title was performed at RFI’s Grand studio
– Dunoo Direct RFIs see the RFI video
– Gambia, CD extract Badnyaa Kumoo see the video
– Musolo, CD extract Badnyaa Kumoo
– Kambengwo feat youss Ndour, extract CD Badnyaa Kumoo
– Balak Direct RFIs see the RFI video.
Line Up: Sona Jobarteh (vocals, chords, guitar) and Eric Appapolay (guitar, vocals).
Voice: Benoît Letirant.
► memo book Badnyaa Kumoo (2022).
Sona Jobarte for reading RFI Music.
Then we received Ablaye Cissoko & Cyrille Brotto on #SessionLive for the album release Moment.
It was Cyril who, in 1829, invented the accordion in Vienna, while for Kora it is almost synonymous with the name Cissoko. Ablaye Cissoko & Cyrille Brotto, carrying with it the legacy of a long musical history. Somewhere between the harp and the lute, the Kora spreads out in harmonics, while the accordion improvises the chorus, as if adding depth, it plays on silence, solidity and emptiness. Here, we are of course in the Mandingo tradition with the voice of a griot angel Ablay Cissoko, “the person who sent it”, but we also Yann Tiersen, as if “Amélie Poulain” sent us a postcard from Senegal. A waltz between two sciences, a conversation between two scientific instruments, this is what this meeting has to offer us.
Ablaye Cissoko & Cyrille Brotoclipping book Moment “Encounter”, it is no coincidence that this instrumental appears in the center of the disc, is romantic, like a walk in a stone town, a sweet conversation between friends, projected from time to time. Since 2002, Ablaye Cissoko has been traveling the world with his newspaper and Cyrille also likes to pass on his knowledge, explaining his music, especially in educational videos on the internet, their dialogue even without words is rich. And this famous meeting? It was done in the living room, at home, at Cyrille’s which hosted a concert by Ablaye in complete privacy at his home, for his wife and friends. It is their direct involvement, friendship and curiosity for one another that we hear about on this disc, each adapting his technique to the other’s code and key. A human adventure exploring a fallen spleen explaining why the world doesn’t go round, as Ablaye sings with great emotion, Deme Deme: “The world is changing. The economic devastation is sending young people down the path of emigration, but these youth are the future of the country. It remains only for us to ask the prayers of our mothers, the roots that nourish our society in total collapse. May the Most High come to our aid…” From friendship and encounter, the most beautiful harmony will always be born.
The title was performed at RFI’s Grand studio
– Not Live RFI (instrumental)
-SignolaCD extract Moment
– Third Z Direct RFIs see the video.
Line Up: Ablaye Cissokochorus, song, Cyrille Brotoaccordion.
Voice: Fabien Mugneret, Benoît Letirant.
► memo book Moment (My Case 2022/Absilone).
