African Jazz Roots - Ablaye Cissoko & Simon GoubertAblaye CissokoDescription: A meeting of African tradition and French jazz conceived in Senegal in 2009 at the Saint Louis Jazz Festival where Magma drummer Simon Goubert first encountered the kora player Ablaye Cissoko. Mutual appreciation in time became a band who debuted at the same festival the following year. From that came a recording made in Dakar in 2011. The jazz rhythm section of drums and double bass is joined by Peul flute kora and sabar drums in a seamless and imaginative cross-cultural exchange. Aside from his long career with French prog kings Magma Goubert has followed his own exploratory jazz path with a keen ear for world music. Cissoko has risen to prominence in the crowded kora field with his collaborative albums with German trumpeter Volker Goetze. Goetze is also behind G a documentary film that stars Cissoko. The film was shot in Senegal. Until then Goetze had not known much about griots but once his interest had been piqued he wanted to share what he d learned with a larger audience. Eventually he came to collaborate with Academy Award-nominated documentarian Sam Pollard (who has also worked with Spike Lee) on the film which is currently being readied for submissions to film festivals internationally and which had its first pre-screening at Womex in 2011.
