Ba Cissoko

Ba Cissoko is not only a master of the kora and one of the instrument's leading proponents, but a member of griot (master singers, kora players, and storytellers) legacy. So much so that the Cissoko name means nothing less than kora mastery. Though his father was a nationally recognized artist, his instruction did not hook young Ba on the instrument or minstrel lifestyle, as he preferred soccer to both music and his studies. When his uncle M'Baty Kouyate learned of Ba's indifference, he offered to apprentice the boy, teaching him kora rudiments and taking him on tours of local...