The kora has 21 strings, a calabash body and a long wooden neck, and in the hands of a master it can sound like a harp, a guitar and a choir at once. Ballaké Sissoko is one of the instrument’s most refined players. Born into a family of Malian griots, he grew up surrounded by the kora and became known for a quiet, reflective style. His collaborations, including the album Chamber Music with the French cellist Vincent Segal, brought his music to listeners far beyond West Africa.
A griot family and the kora
Ballaké Sissoko was born in Bamako in the late 1960s. His father, Djelimady Sissoko, was a renowned kora player, and the family belonged to the griot tradition of musicians and historians. The kora is a West African harp-lute played by griots in Mali, Senegal, Guinea and the Gambia. Players pluck the strings with their thumbs and index fingers.
As a young man, Sissoko joined Mali’s National Instrumental Ensemble, following in his father’s footsteps. Sissoko and Toumani Diabaté, whose fathers had also played together, recorded the duet album New Ancient Strings in 1999, a celebrated meeting of two kora masters.
Segal, solo albums and Mali's music
In 2009, Sissoko and the cellist Vincent Segal released Chamber Music, an album of gentle duets that critics praised for its beauty and subtlety. The pair later released Musique de Nuit, recorded partly on a rooftop in Bamako at night. Sissoko’s playing is known for its restraint, delicate melodies and close listening to his partners. He has released solo albums exploring the kora’s traditional repertoire and new compositions.
He has performed at concert halls and festivals around the world. Mali has produced many of Africa’s best-known musicians, and the kora is central to its musical heritage.
Teaching and legacy
Like many griots, Sissoko sees himself as a guardian of tradition and passes on knowledge to younger players. His recordings are admired by listeners who value quiet, contemplative music. Ballaké and Toumani both grew up in families where the kora was passed from father to son. Their duet album carried on a friendship and musical partnership begun by the previous generation.
Ballaké Sissoko rarely plays loudly. Audiences in large concert halls tend to fall silent so they can catch every note.
