Sometimes the most beautiful art comes from accidental meetings and unexpected inspirations.
Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Seéal met by chance. Sissoko plays the traditional West African harp-like instrument called the kora. Ségal was once a member of the French National Orchestra cello section.
Sissoko’s roots are in Mali and the traditions of the West African griot — a kind of wandering historian, musician, poet and praise singer all wrapped into one. The art of the griot is passed down from generation to generation.
Ballaké Sissoko & Vincent Ségal | Mako Mady
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=dJ0RahWCHFc
Ségal was trained in the Western classical music, but the sounds he coaxes from his cello are, at times, far from your garden variety sonata.
Applying very light bow pressure, he can make his instrument sound uncannily close to the plaintive cries of the West African flute called tambiru.
It’s the simple pairing of these two quiet instruments and the soulful playing — in all of its disguised complexity — that makes a powerful impression and makes you smile.
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Ballaké Sissoko & Vincent Ségal LIVE
presented by Francophonic Festival
Sunday, 18 March 2012 | 20:00 CET
.HBC | Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 9 | 10178 Berlin/Mitte
sixdegreesrecords.com | francophonic-festival.de | hbc-berlin.de
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