Everywhere, from time immemorial, the Word has been embodied by the bard, the troubadour, the griot. These wordsmiths, at once messengers and peacemakers, are the links with the forces of nature, the inexpressible divine, the memory of the ancients. It falls to them to maintain the realm of the collective soul.
Nowadays, these freethinkers and travellers are making the world their garden… Like Constantinople and Ablaye Cissoko, a griot from Saint-Louis, Senegal, an eternally migrating bird who is also a master of the kora. It is said that this 21-string bridge-harp of the ancient Manding Kingdom (13th century) was the most precious, most fought-over possession of the woman-sage. From this celestial creature, the musician seems to have inherited the quality of grace. The sweetness of his tone, the finesse of his melodic lines, the fluidity of his touch, his virtuosity without ostentation, his purity and generosity—all of these qualities are combined in this stellar musician who travels from childhood to wisdom anytime. By turns historian, storyteller and philosopher, Ablaye perpetuates the oral tradition of his land and embraces the great family destiny.
This meeting between Ablaye and Constantinople, between strings and vocals, goes back in time to evoke the beauty of being. It is a joint passage through the common sites of the imagination, like a long breath before the inexorable march of the world and time.
References concerts :
Womad Festival (New Zealand), Womad Adelaide (Australia), Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord (Paris), L’Hexagone Scène Nationale (Meylan-Fr), Théâtre du Puy en Velay, Espace Roudour (Morlaix), l’Arsenal (Metz), Le Salmanazar (Epernay), Salle Nougaro (Toulouse), Opéra de Montpellier, Centre Culturel René Char (Dignes les Bains), Pianock’tail (Bouguenais), Ferme du Biéreau (BE), Arsonic (Mons), Muziekpublique (Bruxelles), L’Asphodèle (Questembert), Sfabrikg (Wienn, Aut), Mundial Montreal (CA), Festival Cervantino (MEX), Festival 1001 Notes (Limoges, Fr), Maison des arts de Laval (Canada), Festival Les Arts à Huy (BE), Festival de Mont-Tremblant (CA), World Music Panama, Festival All Improviso (Gliwice, PL), Centennial Theatre (Sherbrooke, CA) (…)
