Baba Sissoko

Born in Bamako (Mali), Baba Sissoko is the undisputed master of the tamani (the original talking drum), which he started to play as a child (thanks to the teaching of his grandfather Djeli Baba Sissoko) and from which he is able to extract all the notes simply with one natural movement. Baba Sissoko also plays the ngoni, kamalengoni, guitar, balafon, calabash, sildrum, and... he sings! He is from a great and ancient dynasty of griots from Mali: in the Malian tradition, griots are deputed to calm down hearts and souls through music. Baba Sissoko was the first to introduce the sound of the tamani into the modern music of Mali. In Baba's compositions, there is a great influence of Amadran, which is a repetitive and hypnotic musical structure typical of Mali, from which, according to many researchers, the blues was born. His style is peculiar: Baba loves to integrate melodies and rhythms of the Malian tradition (Bambara, Peul, Manding, and Songhai) with the typical sounds of jazz and blues, creating fantastic musical effects. This is also thanks to the numerous experiences with other musicians belonging to cultures and roots completely different from his background. His ability to play a wide range of musical instruments and his extreme sensitivity to other musical genres and expressions have brought him to cooperate with many fine musicians. Among others, he has worked and cooperated with Habib Koité, Rokia Traoré, Ibrahim Ferrer, Buena Vista Social Club, Don Moye and Art Ensemble of Chicago, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Enzo Avitabile, Miguel Anga Diaz, Omar Sosa, Chris Joris, Bob Stewart, Aka Moon, Roberto Fonseca, Oumou Sangaré, Philippe Catherine, Toots Thielemans, Kassé Mady Diabaté, Afel Bocoum, Cheick Tidiane Seck, Toumani Diabaté, Ballaké Sissoko, and Mama Sissoko. He's the leader of many different musical bands like: Baba Sissoko Afroblues – African Griot Groove; Baba Sissoko & Mali Tamani Revolution; Baba Sissoko & Taman Kan; Baba Sissoko Black Rock. In this US promotional tour, he'd like to present himself and his music in "solo," in a concert named "Baba Sissoko One Man Band." Baba Sissoko: Tamani, Ngoni, Kamalengoni, Calabash, Guitar, Voice Web: http://www.babasissoko.com Email: info@babasissoko.com Associazione Culturale "Baba Sissoko & Taman Kan" Info-line +39 340 5265727 Discography Baba Sissoko & Taman Kan, "Taman Kan," 1995 Baba Sissoko, "Djana," 1999 Baba Sissoko & Taman Kan, "Live in Studio," 2000 Baba Sissoko and Mario Artese, "Griots," 2001 Baba Sissoko, "Djeliya," 2004 Baba Sissoko, with Famoudou Don Moye & Maurizio Capone, "Folk Bass Spirit Suite," 2004 Baba Sissoko Trio, "Bolokan," 2005 Baba Sissoko, "AfroJazz Live," 2005 Baba Sissoko & Taman Kan, "Mali Music," 2005 Baba Sissoko, "Djekafo," 2006 Baba Sissoko with Eloi Boudimont (Fanfare et Chœur), "Mali Mali," 2007 Baba Sissoko Jazz Ensemble, "Bamako Jazz," 2007 Baba Sissoko, "Bibisa Solo – moi je m'amuse," 2008 Baba Sissoko Aka Moon & Black Machine, "Culture Griot," 2009 Baba Sissoko e Il Pozzo Di San Patrizio, "The Eyes Over the World," 2010 Baba Sissoko "Mali Tamani Revolution," 2011 Baba Sissoko Busch Werk & The Masters of Groove, "Trance," 2011 Baba Sissoko, "Sahel," 2011 Baba Sissoko, Officina Zoé, "Taranta Nera," 2012 Baba Sissoko Afroblues, "African Griot Groove," 2012 Baba Sissoko Djeli Mah Damba Koroba, "Baba et sa maman," 2013 Baba Sissoko, Saulius Petreikis, Indre Jurgeleviciute, Laurita Peleniute, Viktoras Diawara, "MaLituanie," 2013 Baba Sissoko, "Tchi Wara," 2014 Collaborations (as singer and special guest) Famoudou Don Moye, "Tama" and "Djarabi" by Baba Sissoko in "Bamako Chicago Express," 2002 Luigi Cinque, "Masa" and "Masa Saturnia," by Baba Sissoko in "Sacra Konsert," 2002 Art Ensemble of Chicago, "Wolona" by Baba Sissoko in "Reunion," 2004 Maak's Spirit & Gnawa Ensemble, "Nalu" by Baba Sissoko in "Al Majmà," 2004 Enzo Avitabile & Bottari, "Tarantella Bruna," by Baba Sissoko, in "Salvamm'o munno," 2004 Mamady Keita & Sewa Kan, "Live At Couleur Cafe," 2005, special guest Baba Sissoko Miguel Anga Diaz, "Tume Tume," by Baba Sissoko, in "Echu Mingua," 2005 Chris Joris & Bob Stewart, "Masaya" and "Yafa" by Baba Sissoko in "Rainbow Country," 2006 Dee Dee Bridgewater, "Dee Dee," by Baba Sissoko, in "Red Earth," 2006 Omar Sosa, "Why Anga," by Baba Sissoko and Omar Sosa in "Afreecanos," 2008 Skarbone14, "Bibissa," by Baba Sissoko in "Satellites," 2009 Afrocubism, "Dakan," by Baba Sissoko in "Afrocubism," 2010 Busch Werk and Masters of Groove, "Ebi" by Baba Sissoko, in "Trance," 2010 Fabrizio Cassol, "Didadi Horns" and "Farka" in "Strange Fruits," 2012 Roberto Fonseca, "Bibisa" and "Bibisa Remix" by Baba Sissoko in "YO," 2012 Safar Republique, special guest, "Safar Republique," 2013 Collaborations (as musician) Ami Koita, "Songs of Praise," 1993 Habib Koité & Bamada, "Muso Ko," 1995 Boubacar Kar Kar Traoré, "Maciré," 1998 Habib Koité & Bamada, "Maya," 1998 Lokua Kanza, "Lokua Kanza 3," 1998 Rokia Traoré, "Mouneïssa," 1998 Dedalus, "Teatro del Sole," 1999 Ciroma, "Ciroma," 2000 Rokia Traoré, "Bowmboï," 2003 Miguel Anga Diaz, "Echu Mingua," 2005 Dee Dee Bridgewater, "Red Earth," 2006 Cheick Tidiane Seck, "Sabaly," 2008 Stéphane Huchard, "African Tribute to Art Blakey," 2008 Kassé Mady Diabaté, "Mandé Djeli Kan," 2009 Bassekou Kouyaté, "I Speak Fula," 2009 Afrocubism Mali & Cuba All Stars, "Afrocubism," 2010 Roberto Fonseca, "YO," 2012 Compilations (containing Baba Sissoko compositions) Abruzzo Sound "Vol 2," 2003, containing "Djarabi" and "Djana" Universound, "2K1," 2003, containing "Sumale" Mother Africa, "Adam and Eve," 2003, containing "Moko" "Tiankoura," 2004, containing "Djarabi" and "Se Soir à Bankoni" (Sissoko – Moye) "Tavagnasco Rock," 2005 containing "Ma Fille" "La Valigia dei Suoni," 2007 containing "Folo Folo," "Douniya," and "Ebi" "I Viaggi Perd