SARGAL
A duo album by Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko & Volker Goetze with special guest: Mino Cinélu. Out now on Motéma!
"A duo of staggering poetic eloquence." — Le Monde
w/ special guest Mino Cinélu on the first three tracks.
"...deeply human, sincere and authentic … they simply remind us that life is a miracle whose blessings we must cherish." — Joe Farmer, RFI
Experience a profoundly beautiful new chapter in trumpeter/producer Volker Goetze's inspiring explorations of West African traditional Mande music with jazz. This time he collaborates in duo with the revered Senegalese kora master, singer, and Kora innovator, Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko (Trilok Gurtu, Manu Dibango, Angélique Kidjo...) with legendary percussionist, Mino Cinélu (Miles Davis, Weather Report, George Benson…) guesting on the first three tracks. Sargal's exquisite program of both chill and uplifting groove tracks, centers on themes of gratitude and resilience. A vital new addition to the kora meets jazz lexicon and a perfect soundtrack to promote harmonious life.
" ...a marvel from the beginning to the end - a perfect success between jazz and Mandingo music." – Jazzaseizheur
"They brilliantly capture the profound unity and harmonious perfection between two cultures—different, yet so complementary." - Bernard Jean, Electric Bamboo
A heartfelt tribute of gratitude and resilience, SARGAL honors all those who have helped humanity navigate through challenging times. With his masterful kora playing and soulful vocals, Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko expresses a profound message of thanks to everyone who treated, researched, found vaccines, and prayed to help the people of Dakar and the world come out of the global epidemic. This new duo conveys the spirit of unity, sensitivity, and hope that these artists are committed to sharing with the world to help carry us forward.
Volker Goetze's prior acclaimed productions Amanke Dionte and Sira, as well as his award-winning film THE GRIOT, each featured Ablaye Cissoko (Ali Boulo Santo's brother) and received praise world-wide from world music and jazz outlets collectively gaining over 35 million streams. With this new production, recorded in France in 2021, Volker documents the extraordinary chemistry he discovered with Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko during the pandemic, as they created their very first musical works. These Sargal sessions subsequently sparked the idea for their now widely-acclaimed trumpet, kora, and flamenco guitar trio project, Flamenkora, which debuted with a self-titled release on Motéma in 2023 and is now in production for a sophomore release.
1st Single ROKHAYA
An instrumental for Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko’s little sister and grandmother who both bear the first name of Rockhaya. A Griot tradition is to keep naming a newborn after someone who recently past.
2nd Single BÉTIYATA
The family that supports you is a blessing and you understand it when you are far from home, but sometimes some welcome you with a smile but in their hearts wish your misfortune, jealousy and hypocrisy can destroy a family. - Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko
About The Artists
Special Guest: Mino Cinélu
percussion
"With Mino, any music swings" - Miles Davis
Miles Davis, Sting, Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, Tracy Chapman, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder, Lou Reed, Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Vicente Amigo, Dizzy Gillespie, Pat Metheny, Branford Marsalis, Pino Daniele, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Salif Keita – a small selection of the international jazz, world, and pop stars that Mino has worked with since the late ’70s.
THE SARGAL DUO:
kora/vocals/composition
Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko
A virtuoso kora player, singer and modern griot, Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko carries forward the legacy of his uncle, the legendary “King of the Kora,” Soundioulou Cissokho. Renowned for his inventive style, Cissoko seamlessly blends Mandingo traditions with Senegalese and Western influences, creating thrilling music that is both timeless and innovative. He has collaborated with global luminaries such as Youssou N’Dour, Angelique Kidjo, Omar Sosa, Tony Allen, and Piers Faccini, expanding the reach of the kora - enchanting sound. As a cultural ambassador, Cissoko’s music preserves the rich oral traditions of the Mandingo people while pushing the boundaries of contemporary world music.
"Ali Boulo Santo's style of playing the kora is outstanding because of his perfect mastering of this ancient instrument as well as his willingness to innovate." – Frank Bessman, Musique Afrique
trumpet/producer/composition
Volker Goetze
An award-winning trumpeter, composer, and filmmaker, Volker Goetze is celebrated for his ability to fuse jazz with global musical traditions, creating transcendent works that promote cultural connectivity. His collaborations with Senegalese kora master Ablaye Cissoko—including the acclaimed album Sira and the documentary Griot—have been hailed as masterclasses in cross-cultural dialogue. Their album Amanke Dionti was named “Best World Music Album of 2012” by NPR’s The World and has garnered over 35 million streams worldwide. Goetze’s latest project, Little Big Top (Motema, 2024), is a collaborative journey with legendary accordionist, Guy Klucevsek, through musical landscapes where echoes of the ballroom, barroom, bordello, circus, and concert hall intermingle with jazz and folk from around the world. His prior release FlamenKora (2023), bridges West African kora, Spanish flamenco, and American jazz, earning international acclaim and sold-out performances in Europe. A multimedia artist, Goetze’s film “The Griot” and innovative his innovative Sonic Gates project in Staten Island, New York —the city’s first Sound Sculpture Walk—are examples of his commitment to integrating music, art, and community. For more info, visit volkergoetze.com.
