Biography
Born in Bamako (Mali), Baba Sissoko is the undisputed master of tamani (the original talking drum), that he started to play since he was a child (thanks to the teaching of his grand-father Djeli Baba Sissoko and Djeli Maka Sissoko and Djatourou Sissoko) and from which he is able to extract all the notes simply with a one, natural movement.
Baba Sissoko plays also ngoni, kamalengoni, guitar, balaphon, calebasse, Hang 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, by means of music. Baba Sissoko has been the first one to introduce the sound of tamani in the modern music of Mali.
In the Baba compositions there is a great influence of Amadran, that is a repetitive and hypnotic musical structure typical from Mali by which, according to many researchers, blues was born
His style is peculiar: Baba loves to integrate melodies and rhythms of the Malian tradition (Bambara, Peul, Mandig e Sonrai) with the typical sounds of jazz and blues, creating fantastic musical effects. This also thanks to the numerous experiences with other musicians belonging to cultures and roots completely different from his background. With DJ Khalab, in the album "Khalab & Baba", released in October 2015, with a piece of which ("Tata") won the Track of the Year award at the 2016 edition of the Gilles Peterson Worldwide Awards, an annual ceremony organized by BBC DJ Gilles Peterson. In addition, in March 2018 he was awarded the African Grammy "Obaland Music Awards" as best African jazz musician for the year 2018. His ability to play a wide range of musical instruments, his warm and sweet voice and his extreme sensitivity to other musical genders and expressions, brought him to cooperate with many fine musicians. Among others, he worked and cooperated with Habib Koite, Rokia Traore, 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 Stuwart, Aka Moon, Roberto Fonseca, Oumou Sangare, Philippe Caterina, Toots Thielemans, Kasse Mady Diabate, Afel Bocoum, Cheick Tidjane Chek, Toumani Diabate, Ballake Sissoko, Mighty Mo Rodgers, Antonello Salis and many others.
He’s the leader of many different musical band like: Baba Sissoko Solo; Baba Sissoko Afroblues – African Griot Groove; Baba Sissioko Jazz ®Evolution; Baba Sissoko “Three Gees”; Baba Sissoko & Djana Sissoko Duo, Baba Sissoko & Mali Tamani; Baba Sissoko & Taman Kan; Baba Sissoko Black Rock, Baba Sissoko & Antonello Salis duo, Baba Sissoko Nicodemo feat Lilies on Mars, Baba Sissoko Mediterranean Blues.
Web:
http://www.babasissoko.com
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https://www.facebook.com/pages/Baba-Sissoko/311449682252552
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCXXP23D0P8VzbHeqlR5i1Q
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 Famondou 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 Chouer), “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 Busch Werk & The Masters of Groove, “Trance”, 2011
Baba Sissoko “Mali Tamani Revolution”, 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, Sekouba Diabate Bambino, Classica Orchestra AfroBeat, “Regarde sur le Passé”, 2014
Baba Sissoko and Guest “Tchiwara”, 2014
Baba Sissoko “Jazz ®Evolution”, 2015
Baba Sissoko “Three Gees”, 2015
Baba Sissoko & Dj Khalab, “Khalab & Baba”, 2015
Baba Sissoko, Nicodemo feat Lilies on Mars, “DjeliBit”, 2016
Baba Sissoko & Taman Kan, “Griot”, 2017
Baba Sissoko “Mediterranean Blues”, 2017
Baba Sissoko, Mighty Mo Rodgers “Griot Blues”, 2017
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 Majmàa”, 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
Fabrizion Cassol, “Didadi Horns” and “Farka” in “Strange Fruits”, 2012
Roberto Fonseca, “Bibisa” e “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 Koite & Bamada, “Muso ko”, 1995
Boubacar Kar Kar Traorè, “Macirè”, 1998
Habib Koite & Bamada, “Maya”, 1998
Lokua Kanza, ”Lokua Kanza 3”, 1998
Rokia Traore, “Mouneissa”, 1998
Dedalus, “Teatro del sole”, 1999
Ciroma, “Ciroma”, 2000
Rokia Traore, “Bowboi”, 2003
Miguel Anga Diaz, “Echu Mingua”, 2005
Dee Dee Bridgewater, “Red Earth”, 2006
Cheick Tidiane Seck, "Sabaly", 2008
Stephane Huchard, "African Tribute to Art Blakey", 2008
Kasse Mady Diabate, "Mande Djeli Kan", 2009
Bassekou Kouyate, "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 Perduti", 2007, containing "Sidjanko"
“Ad esempio a me piace…”, 2009 containing “Tama”
“Ethnos per le scuole “, 2010, containing “Ebi “