Maher | Akateeminen Kirjakauppa

Maher Cissoko was born to be a kora player in one of the greatest Griot families in Casamance, Senegal. His family has seen the art of the griot and kora playing being passed from generation to generation through more than 700 years. After releasing four albums in ten years as part of the Sousou & Maher Cissoko duo, Maher Cissoko released his first solo album. 'Kora Fo' ("the kora speaks" in Mandinka) in 2017, followed by "Cissoko Heritage" in 2022 - both on Swedish label ajabu! Like his older brothers Solo and Fily Cissokho (yes they spell their names differently), he's now a full time musician in Europe and a former student of the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm. Maher has embellished the tradition and developed his own explosive and danceable style. Besides playing the kora, he is also a percussionist, which you can hear in his rhythmical way of playing the kora. He plays various West African percussion instruments, such as Calabash, Djembe and Tama (Talking Drum). Maher has been playing in different bands and is influenced by styles and techniques of other musical genres like reggae, latin, funk and jazz.