GRIOT - Soundtrack by Featuring: Volker Goetze, Ablaye Cissoko, Randy Weston, Ousmane Ba, Cissoko & Ko

“Senegalese kora and western trumpet make fabulous music together! Volker Goetze’s enthralling documentary melds dazzling visuals and haunting songs to serve up a feast for the senses. Griot introduces us to Goetze’s own soulful trumpet stylings and the extraordinary voice and calabash harp artistry of Ablaye Cissoko. "Africa is the spiritual centre of the Planet Earth," claims one of the many contributors to this enchanting film, and, given the evidence, it is a claim that becomes difficult to disprove.

Ostensibly, Goetze’s documentary sets out to explore the history and role of the "griots" whose spiritual and musical talents are passed "through the blood" from generation to generation. Their role is many-faceted: historian, storyteller, praise-singer, poet and musician. Ablaye Cissoko, thinker, leader and gifted musician, is an examplar.

The film has at least three elements that compel our attention and capture our minds and hearts: the outstanding music; the cinematography, which brings to life the vibrant colours of West Africa and the splendours of its natural life; and the almost hallucinatory animation which adds another texture to the music. In common with other exceptional documentaries, Griot amounts to more than the sum of its parts. It is a paean to the senses: at moments our eyes are dazzled by what we see, at others we can close them and just let the haunting music flow through us.”

- Vancouver International Film Festival

The music of Cissoko has been documented to much acclaim on his own records and recently on the duo’s two successful and highly acclaimed world music albums, SIRA and AMANKI DIONTI which placed #1 on iTunes World Music in France and was honored as the #1 Global Hit of 2012 on NPR.

Tracklist

1.	Faro (live)	6:01

2.	Fete Du Sabar	2:07

3.	African Child	5:36

4.	Bouba (live)	4:23

5.	Kano	1:58

6.	Ousmane Bah	1:17

7.	Lambang	1:27

8.	Allah Lake	1:42

9.	Haiti (live)	5:05

10.	Motuasambe	1:04

11.	Yatemuto	1:22

12.	Blues to Senegal	4:00

13.	Sira (live)	4:49

14.	Coulon Coulon	3:13

15.	Inside The Outside World	10:49

16.	Turning Point	0:49

17.	Gorgorlou (live)	4:26

Credits

released September 15, 2014

Produced by Volker Goetze

Recorded by Volker Goetze in Saint-Louis, Senegal between July 2007 and March 2008

“Inside The Outside World” recorded by Tyler McDiarmid and Geoff Countryman, New York 2007

Ablaye Cissoko / Volker Goetze duo recorded live by Russell Moore at the Jazz Gallery, New York 2010

Andrea Esperti Symphony Orchestra recorded at Lausanne, Switzerland 2007

Mixing and Mastering by Conni Ende

Main photography by Youri Lenquette

CD image and inside panel photo from the Movie - Cinematography by Sanne Kurz, Animation by Joshue Ott

Ablaye Cissoko vocals, kora • volker goetze flugelhorn, trumpet • Randy Weston piano solo • Ousmane ba fulani flute solo

Volker Goetze Quintet:

Volker Goetze flugelhorn • Patrick Breiner tenor saxophone • Kristjan Randalu piano • Joshua Myers double-bass • Bodek Janke drums

Guest Brass: Alan Ferber trombone • Peter Ehwald soprano saxophone

Percussion: Abdou Khadre Diop tama, sabar • Molino bata, timbales, congas, bongos

Volker Goetze Orchestra:
John Beaty alto saxophone solo feature
Erica von Kleist • Chris Shade • Patrick Breiner • Peter Ehwald • Geoff Countryman Woodwinds

Prof. Michael Mossman • Vitaly Golovnev • Sam Hoyt • Kenny Warren trumpets

Alan Ferber • Joe Beaty • Johannes Lauer • Max Siegel trombones

Sebastian Noelle guitar • Aidan Carroll bass • Kristjan Randalu piano • Bodek Janke drums • Rohin Khemani tabla

Symphony Orchestra on “turning point” Andrea Esperti Symphony Orchestra Project

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