Diali Cissokho comes from a long line of musicians and griots in his home country of Senegal. So when he came to the United States, continuing to play music was a natural progression. He teamed up with musicians from North Carolina to form a group called Kaira Ba.
The group creates a sound influenced by Senegalese styles of music and instruments like the kora.
Host Frank Stasio talks with Diali Cissokho and the members of Kaira Ba about the group's origin and finding a niche for Senegalese music in North Carolina. The group performs live in the studio with Diali Cissokho on kora and vocals; Jonathan Henderson on bass and backing vocals; Will Ridenour on percussion and backing vocals; Austin McCall on percussion and John Westmoreland on guitar and backing vocals.
The group plays at 12 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10 on the North Carolina Traditions Stage in downtown Greensboro as a part of the National Folk Festival.
Watch the band's new video for "Teeriyaa (Friendship)" below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3PvLbQ_xwI
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