Global Nights: Sidsel Walstad and Ibou Cissokho - album release

WELCOME TO THIS YEAR'S GLOBAL NIGHTS!

When we open the doors to this year's Global Nights, it is to present “Tamoo” – the debut album by the duo Sidsel Walstad and Ibou Cissokho, which will be released on the same day.

Sidsel Walstad (harp) and Ibou Cissokho (kora, vocals) were introduced to each other when they were invited to Global Oslo Music's podcast series “Artists meet artists” in 2022. The meeting between them revealed two very different musical worlds that they shared generously about, among other things, their instruments, musical profiles and careers, as well as that they played for each other. It was a particularly warm meeting that ended with a desire for a collaboration. Global Oslo Music therefore commissioned new music from Ibou, who has written a lot of music for his own projects, for the duo and which resulted in the work “Strengelek for harp and kora”, arranged by Sindre Hotvedt. We had no doubt that the collaboration would be a success, now the music is available in album format and has been titled “Tamoo”, which means “journey” in Wolof.

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Sidsel Walstad is a classical harpist, but also has a leg up in pop, rock and other rhythmic music, not least with his electric harps. Raised in Senegal, Ibou Cissokho's music is rooted in particular traditions from West Africa, often with heptatonic or pentatonic scales and polyrhythms, and he mixes in elements of blues and pop, among others. Where the kora often plays around the melody lines, on “Tamoo” he lets the instrument weave together with the harp through melodies, ornamentations and rhythmic figures in collaboration with Walstad.

The album was recorded and finished by Jock Loveband at Urban Sound Studios and produced by Sindre Hotvedt. Global Sonics will release the album on the same day as we invite you to a release concert at Melahuset The duo is joined by one of the world's leading percussionists, Sidiki Camara, who also participated in the recording.

Sidsel Walstad
As a classical harpist, Walstad has been employed as a solo harpist in the Norwegian Opera Orchestra, a position she currently holds in the Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra. She also plays the electric harp, for which she has made a name for herself through several solo projects. She is also often seen together with artists and bands in various contexts, including Karpe, Ne-Yo, Secret Garden and Terje Isungset. Walstad has also participated in a number of recordings, including as a soloist with the Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra, and has released solo albums.

Ibou Cissokho
As the son of the famous griot (the name for musicians and storytellers we know from West Africa) and the kora player Solo Cissokho, Ibou Cissokho has an important legacy to pass on, which we can not least hear on “Tamoo”. After moving to Norway, he has found a place in the top echelon of performers with his instrument. He has collaborated with, among others, Carpe, Solo Diarra, Trondheim World Music Ensemble, Mattis Kleppen and Queendom.

Sidiki Camara
Camara has toured worldwide, including with Bill Frisell, Sacred Steel, Rokia Traore, Keita & Sewa Kan and the National Ballet of Mali. He has his own band, Sidiki Camara Group, and has worked with a number of artists and ensembles in Norway as a session musician. Last year he received the Spellemannprisen for the album “Return To the Traditions”, released by Global Sonics with music commissioned by Global Oslo Music.

Global Nights is Global Oslo Music's annual festival where mainly new productions are presented. With support from the Arts Council of Norway and the City of Oslo.