World Class Music Live Presents: Ablaye Cissoko & Cyrille Brotto

Senegalese kora master Ablaye Cissoko and French accordionist Cyrille Brotto unite for a mesmerizing collaboration that bridges ancient griot traditions with European folk artistry. Together they create what audiences describe as a "delicate dialogue" between their instruments—the 21-string West African kora and the diatonic accordion—weaving together what one reviewer called "an exotic, yet strikingly modern sound."

Cissoko descends from the acclaimed Cissoko griot family, with a musical lineage that stretches back centuries to the traditional storytellers and historians of the Mandinka people. His mastery of the 800-year-old kora, which combines features of both lute and harp, has made him one of his generation's finest players. Beyond preserving ancient traditions, he's known for cross-cultural collaborations that span world music, jazz, and classical genres, having worked with artists like German trumpeter Volker Goetze and the Constantinople ensemble.

Brotto brings over twenty years of performing experience across France and Europe, blending traditional Occitan and Celtic music with modern influences. His mastery of the diatonic accordion has led to collaborations with diverse ensembles including Les Ogres de Barback, and his partnership with Cissoko represents a natural extension of his work bridging musical cultures.

Reviews of their performances highlight the "rapport between these two artists" that's "evident in their mesmerizing music." The duo creates what one critic described as "a gift of poetic imagination and musical intelligence, at times so harmonious that it seems as if touched by grace." Their concerts blend the deep storytelling traditions of the griot with European folk sensibilities, creating an intimate musical journey that's both emotionally stirring and rhythmically engaging.

This collaboration showcases how two very different musical traditions—West African griot heritage and European folk—can create something entirely new while honoring the ancient roots that inform both artists' work.