Ablaye Cissoko and Cyrille Brotto

After the critically acclaimed release of Instant in 2022, celebrated West African kora artist Ablaye Cissoko has once again partnered with French diatonic accordion virtuoso Cyrille Brotto to present their latest collaboration, Djiyo (meaning water). This collection features a harmonious blend of kora, vocals, and accordion, earning praise from Songlines magazine as “a gem from start to finish.” Cissoko was born in Dakar, Senegal, into a family of griots—the traditional West African custodians of Mande culture, known locally as djelis. Cyrille Brotto, a French accordionist and composer, boasts over 20 years of experience performing and touring with various ensembles across Europe. Like the collaboration between Ballaké Sissoko and Derek Gripper at Corpus Christi Church in our previous season, this pairing beautifully illustrates the versatility of the kora as well as the boundless creativity of the two artists.