Sira is a cross-cultural collaboration between German-born jazz trumpeter Volker Goetze and Senegalese Griot singer and kora player Ablaye Cissoko. A Griot is a traditional West African storyteller. A kora is a West African string instrument that is similar to a lute and sounds a bit like a harp. The album’s title, Sira, means mermaid and is the name of Cissoko’s youngest daughter.

Now you that you know what all of these things mean let’s get on with the review. Seven of the tracks are original. The other tracks are traditional kora songs arranged by Cissoko. The music on the album is sparse. All of the tracks are trumpet and kora with no additional instruments. It’s quite laid back. I find myself listening to it a lot while working. Cissoko sings on some of the tracks. His voice is moving. As a whole this CD inspires thought and provokes the imagination. That makes it perfect for writing. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, I read that ten percent of all the profits from the album go to Tostan, an organization human rights and humanitarian organization.

My favorite track on the album is Faro. Download it and see what you think.

Ablaye Cissoko, Volker Goetze
“Faro” (mp3)
from “Sira”
(ObliqSound)

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