Ablaye Cissoko and Cyrille Brotto Come to the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph
This collection features a harmonious blend of kora, vocals, and accordion.
By: Stephi Wild Jan. 07, 2026
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.
The performance is on Friday, January 30, 2025 at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph – 856 Pacific Street, Brooklyn.
Cissoko was born in Dakar, Senegal, into a family of griots-the traditional West African custodians of Mandé 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 WMI's previous season, this pairing beautifully illustrates the versatility of the kora as well as the boundless creativity of the two artists.
WMI's Collaborations series presents cross-cultural musical explorations and collaborations. This series often explores how the music of artists from one culture has influenced the music of another culture, or the music of seemingly widely varying cultures can be strikingly similar or complementary.
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Founded in 1985 as a not-for-profit, World Music Institute (WMI) has served as one of the leading presenters of world music and dance within the United States. WMI is committed to presenting the best in traditional and contemporary music and dance from around the world to enrich lives through the arts, promote awareness and appreciation for the world's rich cultural traditions, and encourage cross-cultural dialogue and exchange. WMI presents at venues throughout the city and depends on both public and private funding to accomplish its mission.
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