Lamine Cissokho is a "griot" born in Casamance, in the south of Senegal. A griot is, in West Africa, a member of a hereditary caste whose function is to keep an oral history and to entertain with stories, songs and music. Lamine is the descendant of a famous family of griots whose traditions date back to the 14th century. He was introduced to the kora as a child by his own father, Sana Cissokho, one of the big names of this generation. Lalo Keba Drame, considered the king of the kora, was Lamine's great-uncle and inspiration. A composer and arranger.

 

       Early in his career, Lamine learned and performed almost traditional Mandinka melodies passed down from generation to generation. He quickly developed a pronounced taste for composition and arrangement. He has so far composed and arranged about 200 songs which are inspired by the Mandinka tradition but are revisited with touches of jazz, oriental music and Nordic folk chords. Lamine constantly seeks to expand the musical possibilities of his kora and incorporate various influences into his creation. Its "out of the box" version of the kora makes it quite unique. Between 2011 and 2020, he recorded 5 albums. He recorded a new album last fall with French jazz pianist Olivier Hutman.

 

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FESTIVALS

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Over the past few years, Lamine has toured many countries and performed at several festivals. Here are some of them:

 

In Sweden: Urkult, Stockholm Jazz Festival, Oceanen, Fasching, Teater Lederman, Stallet, Planeta Festival, Nalen, Elverket, Stockholm Konserthus, Musikhuset Göteborg, Västmanlandsteater, Falun Folk Festival, Linköping Folkfestival, Tyrolen, Hyttdreva Festival, Umeå kulturnatt, Kista World Music, Stockholm Culture Night, Mossebacken, Kafé de Luxe, Kalmar Teatern...

 

In France: Africajarc, Marciac Jazz Festival, Convivencia, Historical Library of Paris, Le Jam, Portail Coucou, International Guitar Festival Montpellier, Wassa'n'Africa...

 

In Spain: Folk Poborina

 

In Germany: House of Culture Bremen

 

In Austria: Jazzit, Kasumama Africa Fest

 

In Norway: Global Nights Oslo

 

In Latvia: Folkklub Riga, Café Leningrad

 

In Denmark: Copenhagen Jazz Festival, International Guitar Festival Copenhagen, International Guitar Festival Aarhus, Huset...

 

In England: The Sage of Gate

 

In Scotland: Ha Orchestra Project, Edinburgh Harp Festival

 

In Senegal: Alliance française Saint Louis, Alliance franco-sénégalaise Ziguinchor, CCF Dakar, Just4you, Festival Rhythms and Forms of the World, Africabok, Radisson, Bazoff, etc.

 

We can also note that he was happy to play the first parts of Amadou and Mariam, Youssou N'Dour, Coumba Gaolo och Bassekou Kouyaté.

 

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     Bringing together musical genres, inspirations and traditions, growing through encounters and collaborations, that's what Lamine loves above all. Lamine performs as a soloist and has three duets with which he tours. The first with the Indian raga master Manish Pingle, the second with the famous French jazz pianist Olivier Hutman and the third with Fanta Yayo, a Guinean diva.

 

     On the other hand and since 2019, Lamine has had the great honor of collaborating with the great American blues- and jazzman Eric Bibb. He notably played with him at the Marciac Jazz Festival.

 

     Another great collaboration was with Malian kora master Ballake Sissoko during the Aarhus International Guitar Festival. An adored musician His music is like a melting pot of African, oriental and jazz music.

 

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REVIEWS

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     Lamine's kora is there all the time in a melodic, continuous flow of tones that are beautifully woven with the other instruments in perfect harmony. It's hard to sit still to all the rhythms of the music, but despite that, you can also get a meditative and calm feeling from it. / By Dahlerus

 

     Lamine has an indomitable and contagious energy with which he charges his compositions and stage performances. He treats his kora with technical finesse but also with great sensitivity and complacency in encounters with other musicians and singers. » Thomas E., saxophonist.

 

     He belongs to the elite among kora players was well documented at tonight's concert where he took his audience to the magnificent sound of the Kora filled with virtuoso improvisations - world music - by a world-class performer . Svend Withfelt http://www.allaboutjazz.com Lamine can tell stories with only his kora as a tool

 

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REWARDS

 

2015: Lamine received the Senegalese prize “Prix Lalo Keba Drame”

 

2016: He is named artist of the year at the Swedish competition "Folk & Världsmusikgalan"

 

2020: He received the Swedish culture prize “Gyllene Fjädern” from the newspaper Barometern. The note was as follows: “With great humility, he brings to life to the public and to other musicians that all types of music can meet. He has an ability to nurture his fellow musicians and find in them abilities and a joy in playing that they didn't know they had”