Some time ago the new CD “At Peace” by Ballake Sissoko and Vincent Segal has been presented on the “First Listen” page.
I was immediately fascinated by this music, so I had to search for and listen to more music played by Ballake Sissoko and Vincent Segal.
The duo had already played in a Tiny Desk Concert of the NPR – this is available as a video and shows both musicians very well. Two years ago the first CD Chamber Music had just been published.
The music reminds me sometimes to baroque music for the lute with long and meditative parts like in the first part of Chamber Music. Other songs sound typically African.
The cello is played with a bow mostly, but also plucked to play chords like a guitar and even used as a kind of percussion instrument. Vincet Segal does a great job in accompanying the kora and add his part to the music. He takes up the melodies from the kora and produces some incredible sounds on his instrument.
This is the Tiny Desk Concert video (you can also watch this on the NPR site):
http://www.npr.org/event/music/132889359/ballake-sissoko-and-vincent-segal-tiny-desk-concert:
Ballake Sissoko And Vincent Segal: Tiny Desk Concert
I have found many videos with the duo, I have selected my favorite videos for my playlist:
Playlist Ballake Sissoko And Vincent Segal
Additional Information
youtube channel Vincent Segal: http://www.youtube.com/user/vincentsegal/videos
Wikipedia about the kora: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kora_%28instrument%29
Website about the kora – coraconnection.com:
Cora Connection – The leading resource for the Kora and Manding Music — online since 1996
Website about the kora by Harald Loquenz – kora-music.com (German, Englisch, French, Dutch):
this project is devoted to the music, the culture and the musicians of the most demanding and highest developed African string instrument
Amazon partnerlink CD Chamber Music: Chamber Music
New CD At Peace: At Peace
