Ablaye Cissoko & Volker Goetze
9th Annual World Traditional Song Nominee
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Genre: World Traditional
Obliqsound
www.myspace.com/cissokogoetze
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HOMEBASE/COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA/Senegal
ALBUM NOMINATED SONG IS ON: Sira
ARTISTS ON THIS TRACK: Ablaye Cissoko & Volker Goetze
WHERE WAS SONG RECORDED? Saint-Louis, Senegal
WHERE IS YOUR MUSIC AVAILABLE? Digital and Physical retailers worldwide: Obliqsound, iTunes, CDBaby, Amazon, Stores in Europe and USA
WHICH GENRES BEST DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC? World, Jazz, Folk
WHAT’S THIS SONG ABOUT? It is an ancient story of Manssani Cisse , a famous knight of the Mande Empire, who wanted to take which was not meant for him.
As told by Ablaye Cissoko’s family:
Manssani Cisse – he who took someone else’s woman,
a woman who wasn’t destined for him,
a woman of a low social class,
the woman of a fisherman.
The fisherman considered her to be his fiancé.
Every time he sold a catch, he also shared it with her family.
And when Manssani Cisse arrived, he had plenty of money.
He had everything. And her family said:
‘Listen! As long as you sleep under our roof,
we tell you, you will have to marry Manssani Cisse – he has a lot of money.’
And they promised her to him.
On the wedding day, Manssani lay down to wait for his wife.
And that evening his wife found him never to wake up again.
He did not wake up to the present day.
Meaning what is not meant for one, one must not demand…
WHY DID YOU SELECT THIS TRACK TO SUBMIT TO THE IMAs? Because of its nature of being an ancient story who survived many centuries. It encourages people to see the true value in themselves. The fisherman, being poor, had powers and spirits much stronger than the famed Manssani Cisse.
WHAT UNUSUAL INSTRUMENTS OR TECHNIQUES DID YOU USE ON THIS ALBUM? The kora, a 21 stringed harp/lute from West Arica, is an extremely soft sounding instrument. It is quite a challenge to find ways to blend in with the trumpet. We prefer to perform acoustic in places with a natural reverberation such as classical concert halls. The complete control of the dynamics gives us freedom of expression. In live venues without reverberation, we simply amplify our natural sound to maintain the balance.
The music is very spontaneous and leaves room for surprises. First, the trumpet states a melody fragment of the song, which enters much later, elaborated a bit more each time it enters. When Ablaye sings that particular phrase a more improvised realm opens up for the flugelhorn and finally returns to it.
Image a trumpet gig-bag packed with a laptop and audio interface – a carry-on with fragile microphones and hard-drives and a suitcase with stands and extra cables and a backup plan if something breaks – extra pay for overweight. We used a mobile studio and recorded in a cinema theatre of the French Cultural Center in Saint-Louis, a town by the Atlantic Ocean in West-Africa, and one of the most spiritual places. Touching the African Continent, it feels like coming home to humanity. The continent demands a certain kind of music. We tried once to record in Europe, but it simply did not have that magic.
DID FANS HELP FUND THIS PROJECT? Volker Goetze initiated the project in 2007, but with the generous help of Obliqsound, we were able to finish our first duo record.
WHO IS SITTING IN YOUR AUDIENCE: Jazz, World music and pop music fans, African Americans, Africans of all ages. It appeals to a wide verity of people.
WHAT MAKES YOUR FANS UNIQUE? After concerts, we almost sell a CD to everyone in the audience-counting the couples attending- 100%. Although still unknown, we had amazing sales during our tours in Africa, Europe and USA.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE PLACES TO PLAY? Concerts halls, festivals and small venues. No preference each night is different as every day we live different. Our music is very flexible.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BAND’S MOST MEMORABLE ACHIEVEMENT TO DATE? Our first USA tour was most challenging. Logistically preparing the O-1 visa for an African was a lot of work and there was fear of not getting it. Thanks to the great team at Obliqsound, the tour was a success!
WHAT’S IN THE WORKS FOR 2010? We will have a lecture on African Music in Colleges at Penn State and will take that opportunity to perform in the Tri-State Area in spring. A European tour in Fall 2010 is in the make. A feature documentary – in association with Sam Pollard, best known through his many collaborations with Spike Lee – on Abalye Cissoko and the music and culture of Senegambia is in post-production. It will hit the film festivals by the end of 2010 and beginning of 2011. Four music videos will be published in the spring.
FINISH THIS SENTENCE: THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IS….. Too conservative and fast living. Hardly one finds meaningful recordings due to the need to release more music in order to meet budgets. Where are those great artists and the nurturing industry to give the artists the freedom to grow and make music with depth and a long-term-return? A great and outstanding recording with only great songs will generate more than a recording with only one good song.
WHAT IS YOUR DEFINITION OF SUCCESS? Artistic integrity, making the audience part of the musical magic and enlighten them through music. Simply touch them deeply!
WHAT’S ON YOUR IPOD THAT WOULD SURPRISE YOUR FANS? Contemporary electronic music and Brahms, Bach – simply the greatest vocal music. Most instrumental music bores me.
NAME SOME ARTISTS YOU ARE CHAMPIONING: Don Cherry, Miles Davis, Billy Holiday, John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman.