ABLAYE CISSOKO & CYRILLE BROTTO (SENEGAL/FRANCE)
A MEETING OF A SENEGALESE GRIOT ABD A TROUBADOUR FROM OCCITANIA
Kora, singing, and diatonic accordion in harmonious beauty
The next time you hear someone say it’s time for real musicians with instruments to reclaim their place in music—creating songs whose power lies in simplicity and are so beautiful they take your breath away—believe them: this kind of music still exists. Accordionist Cyrille Brotto and kora player and singer Ablaye Cissoko have been creating such music for quite some time.
A descendant of troubadours from French Occitania and a Senegalese griot haven’t reinvented anything revolutionary. They’ve simply combined everything they know with perfect harmony into a sound that is richly evocative and beautiful. Undoubtedly, their goal is to awaken all our senses and inspire us to become poets ourselves—because, truth be told, ordinary words fall short in capturing the harmony of their music, which bridges ancient tradition and modernity.
Photo:Cedrick Nöt
