Solo challenge #4: Bao Sissoko (kora, Senegal)

Bao Sissoko is acknowledged throughout Europe as a talented kora-player in the trio Tamala alongside Mola Sylla and Wouter Vandenabeele or in his duo with Malick Pathe Sow. Bao Sissoko is born in Senegal of mandinka origin, has been playing music since childhood. Surrounded by a family of griots, where his father also plays kora and his mother sings, he spontaneously follows in their footsteps. At the age of seven, his father, also a well-known kora player, taught him how to play the kora. He studied at the Music Conservatory in Dakar, which he completed successfully. He has toured widely in West Africa and played with great musicians such as Baaba Maal and Toumani Diabate. Since 2000, he has been living in Belgium, where he successfully continues his musical career. In 1995, Bao Sissoko came to Europe for the first time for a tour with Senegalese singer Abou Thiam of the group Ngaari Laaw. This was followed by a long list of tours (in almost all of Europe, Kenya, India, etc.) and participations in festivals and collaborations with Baaba Maal, Sioen, Danni Klein, Eva Deroovere, Zap Mama, etc. In Belgium, he has also been working for years with his compatriot, the famous Malick Pathé Sow, and he is a member of the trio Tamala. SETLIST : - Alal - Djigui - Yakar - Silla - Nyayele - Abeni Alate - Sanou All songs are compositions by Bao Sissoko, except for Djigui, Abeni Alate and Sanou which are traditionals. With the support of Visit Brussels. Production: ​​​ Booking: label@ The performance was recorded on April 15 @ Molière Theater, Ixelles/Elsene, Belgium Sound: Christophe Loncour Video : Simon Bésème Lights: Erik Janssens, Alex Dick Technical production: Mathieu Alexandre ----- The Solo Challenges: Muziekpublique challenges musicians to one of the greatest artistic challenges: playing solo with nothing to fall back on but yourself, your ideas and your instrument and / or voice. It is confronting and challenging: “Can I convince the audience all by myself”. It forces you to vary, to hold a tension arc. It is a way where your instrument or voice comes into its own. Moreover, you can make unexpected decisions, you do not have to take the other into account… And the silence suddenly becomes an important creative element.