Ballaké Sissoko - Mali

Ballaké Sissoko is one of Mali's leading musicians and a world-renowned master on the 21-string kora, which has become the musical emblem of West Africa. After more than 40 years of faithful service on the 21 strings of the kora, Ballaké Sissoko has achieved elder status. It has always been a story of love for him, a love that was evident from the very beginning, when he first started playing his father's instrument, spurred on by his own heart and nothing else. His father, Djeli Mady Sissoko, the kora giant and co-director of Mali's famous l'Ensemble instrumental national, never exerted any pressure on his firstborn son, although he must have felt his strong attraction to the instrument.

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Ballaké sat for hours in silence, at a safe distance, listening to his father play. So finally Djeli Mady decided to entrust the key to the room where the kora was kept to his young son. For someone with such boundless curiosity, this could mean no greater invitation and so Ballaké began to play. After the sudden death of his father, he joined l'Ensembel instrumental national, which brought together the greatest instrumentalists from all corners of Mali. There he learned from his elders (including Sidiki Diabate, father of Toumani), simply by listening endlessly. Ballaké's mastery of the classical kora repertoire and his gift for improvisation, fruit of those long periods of quiet attention soon became apparent. But even at a young age he felt the urge to bring the ancient art of the kora face to face with the music of other worlds, a desire that did not exist within the National Ensemble. Therefore, he embarked on a solo career. He discovered playing together with Eastern stringed instruments but also with Western ones such as the cello. This led many years later, to meeting cellist Vincent Segal with whom he formed an intimate musical relationship. Not unimportant to mention is the trio 3MA, in which he plays with Moroccan oud player Driss el Maloumi and valiha-vituoso Rajery from Madagascar. Rajery has been to Hertme several times including last year. This year saw the release of an album with South African guitarist Derek Gripper, who also performed at the Spookhoes last year.

Ballaké is featured in the documentary "Kora Tales" to be screened Friday evening at 20.00 at the Kulturhus in Borne and can be seen and heard live on Sunday 7 July in Hertme, briefly on the main stage and later 2x at the Spookhoes