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Ballaké Sissoko

Prominent Malian Musician Alleges That TSA Destroyed His Instrument

Malian kora player Ballaké Sissoko. B. Peverelli/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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B. Peverelli/Courtesy of the artist

Music News

Prominent Malian Musician Alleges That TSA Destroyed His Instrument

One of West Africa's best-known musicians, Ballaké Sissoko, says that his kora was dismantled by TSA agents while he was traveling from New York to Paris. The agency denies it was involved.

Prominent Malian Musician Alleges That TSA Destroyed His Instrument

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Ballake Sissoko And Vincent Segal At KEXP

Ballaké Sissoko and Vincent Segal recently performed a studio session for KEXP at the Cutting Room Studios in New York City. Pierre Emmanuel Rastoin hide caption

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Pierre Emmanuel Rastoin

Favorite Sessions

Ballake Sissoko And Vincent Segal At KEXP

KEXP

Combining the unique sounds of the kora and the cello, Sissoko and Segal began playing together for fun and for the challenge, but ended up arriving together at a new sonic space. The duo recently performed a studio session for KEXP at the Cutting Room Studios in New York City.

Ballake Sissoko And Vincent Segal: Sounds From Tradition

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Ballaké Sissoko And Vincent Segal: globalFEST 2011

Ballaké Sissoko And Vincent Segal Wills Glasspiegel for NPR hide caption

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Wills Glasspiegel for NPR

globalFEST

Ballaké Sissoko And Vincent Segal: globalFEST 2011

When the kora and a cello sit side by side, there's a clear divide between African and European musical traditions, but when the Malian kora player Ballaké Sissoko and French cellist Vincent Segal sit down together, nothing sounds more natural.

Ballake Sissoko And Vincent Segal In Concert: globalFEST 2011

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Ballake Sissoko And Vincent Segal: Tiny Desk Concert
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Tiny Desk

Ballake Sissoko And Vincent Segal: Tiny Desk Concert

Most bands that perform a Tiny Desk Concert need to adjust their sound to accommodate the setting's limitations. Malian kora player Ballake Sissoko and French cellist Vincent Segal are an exception.

Ballake Sissoko And Vincent Segal: Tiny Desk Concert

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When A Cello And A Kora Come Together

An unlikely combo: Cellist Vincent Segal and kora player Ballake Sissoko. Pierre Emmanuel Rastoin hide caption

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Pierre Emmanuel Rastoin

Review

Deceptive Cadence

When A Cello And A Kora Come Together

Hear what happens when a classically trained cellist and a West African kora player collide. A new album by Vincent Segal and Ballake Sissoko unfolds in music of quiet beauty.

"Ma-Ma" FC

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