Doudou Cissoko is a griot, having inherited his tradition from his famous father, Soundioulou Cissoko, who was given the title “ King of Kora”. From an early age, Doudou was initiated into the techniques of building and playing the Kora, and began composing while still in his teens. As a very young man, he performed as a percussionist and Kora player in a traditional African Ballet group, ‘Tam Tam Afrique’, and with his brothers and sisters in the family group ‘ Allalake’ as a Kora player. Twenty years’ ago, while performing for visitors to Goree Island (the point of departure for many of Senegal’s victims of the slave trade), Doudou was invited to France, where he has lived and worked ever since.
His first album, ‘Dimbaya’ (meaning ‘Family’), was released on db records in 2001, and he continues to compose and perform around the world today, mixing acoustic and electric instruments in a repertoire of music which is both modern and yet deeply traditional. Whether on TV playing for Jools Holland, on an international stage, in a school, or in a small village hall, Doudou believes very strongly in the role of music to inspire, educate, and build cultural bridges between children and adults of all ages and backgrounds. He was the first Kora player in Europe to combine traditional Kora melodies with the sounds of Double Bass and Cello, an idea that has been taken up since by many Kora players around the world.
Doudou’s latest project, Ancient Strings and Fabulous Things, presents a sparkling fusion of ancestral instruments from diverse cultures blended with a thoroughly modern and eclectic vibe. Sunsplashed, hypnotic and irresistibly danceable, Doudou’s music – accompanied by a dynamic cast of international musical troubadours – weaves a magical spell of world-class World music to captivate audiences of any age.
