Kora

The first night of Global Roots Festival 2011 celebrates the rich musical traditions of Mali.

Guitarist Sidi Touré's music is a droning type of Songhai blues, somewhat similar to the music of Ali Farka Touré (no apparent direct relation). His album Sahel Folk was released in 2011 on Thrill Jockey. He will be performing first tonight, in a mostly acoustic trio.

Chamber Music is a duo conversation between Malian Ballaké Sissoko on kora, and French trip-hop cellist Vincent Segal. The music has been described as a work of quiet beauty and soulful simplicity.

This event is FREE! Cedar donors will have the option of early admission (6.45pm). Seated show.

The Cedar advises that due to illness, Toumani Diabaté has been forced to cancel his tour of the USA, including this show at The Cedar. Please consult The Cedar Ticket Refund Policy for ticket refunds.

Ali and Toumani, the second and final collaboration between the late Malian guitarist Ali Farka Touré and kora master Toumani Diabaté, was released earlier this year by Nonesuch to universal acclaim. Now, experience the thrill of hearing Toumani Diabaté live in concert as he performs material from the album along with other music from his extensive back catalog of solo work and collaborations. Toumani will be accompanied by Samba Toure (guitar & voice), Fantamady Diabate (guitar), Mohamed Koita (bass) and Fode Kouyate (drums & calabash). This reduced line-up will both capture the intimacy of his solo and duo recordings, as well as the energy of a Symmetric Orchestra performance.  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Tickets are on sale now from the Cedar Ticketline (612-338-2674 ext 2), from hard-working Cedar volunteers in the front lobby during shows, from Cedar outlets (Electric Fetus, Irish on Grand, Homestead Pickin' Parlor, and Depth of Field), and online at Ticketweb.

All Cedar shows are all ages. Students with ID may gain discounted admission for tickets purchased at the door.

The Cedar invites you to an evening of sublime kora music from Malian master Toumani Diabaté, with backing from the incomparable Symmetric Orchestra. For Toumani, the name of his accompanists evokes a perfect balance - a symmetry - between tradition and modernity, and between the contributions of musicians from a number of closely related countries. Senegal, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Mali itself, were all part of the medieval Mandé Empire.