Zal Idrissa Sissokho

Senegal, Quebec World Music

Biography :

One of his ancestors was the first kora player in history, and his brother, Younoussa, became the first griot to settle in Quebec, in the 1980s. In Senegal, the Sissokho family are among the greatest representatives of the griots, who have conveyed the history of the Mandinka people orally for centuries. In short, Zal Idrissa Sissokho was predestined to sing and play the kora.

Born in Senegal, he has played music since age 11. Early on, he also sang and composed songs inspired by the West African repertory, in Mandinka and in Wolof. He perfected his kora playing under the iron discipline of Toumani Kouyaté, one of the instrument’s masters, and then accompanied Senegalese lyricist and composer El Hadj N’Diaye.

He set off for Quebec in the late 1990s, playing there with the Diouf brothers, Richard Séguin, the Montréal Jubilation Gospel Choir, Corneille, Monica Freire, Lilison, IKS, Muna Mingolé and Alpha Yaya Diallo, among others. He has also put his instrument to work in music for films, including A Sunday in Kigali by Robert Favreau. In Las Vegas, he took part in the Cirque du Soleil show “O”.

In 2004, he founded his own group, named Buntalo. He has surrounded himself with Montreal musicians from West Africa: Aboulaye Koné on guitar, David Mobio on keyboard, Manu Pelé on bass and Thomas Niamke Ehui on drums. Their repertory consists of original creations by Zal Idrissa Sissokho and Manu Pelé as well as Mandinka classical pieces, which he sings in Mandinka and Wolof. A broad palette lets tradition and modernity cohabit. In 2007, some of his songs appeared on the compilation disc of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique. This was a promising foretaste of a full album that was on its way.
In February 2008, Zal received recognition in the form of the OQAJ-Rideau Americas prize, awarded for the excellence of his performance, the generosity of his stage presence and the beauty of his musical blends. He brought out his much awaited first album in the wake of this. It is called Silaba (“the great road”). This homage to ancestors presents his inestimable musical heritage and goes back over the “great road” Zal has taken since his early days in Senegal.

In the course of his career, Zal has produced a number of collaborations, especially in connection with events celebrating Club Balattou’s 25th anniversary, performing with Rommel Ribeiro from Brazil. He has also collaborated with the Dave Gossage ensemble, an Irish music group for Everyone’s Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, a project created and recorded by CBC Radio in March. In August 2011, he will be heading off on a third Brazilian tour, for the Afro-Brazil Festival and the Spanish Cultural Centre in Sao Paulo. Zal is currently working on his second album, set to come out in October 2011, that promises to be more eclectic and modern!

Zal Idrissa Sissokho

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Concerts of the artist:

Albums :

Zal Sissokho - Partage
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