Afrogrooves Invites: Prince Moussa Cissokho Afrofusion

Let Moussa’s enchanting compositions carry you across continents and epochs, invoking the spirit of the Griots while introducing a fresh and captivating jazz-infused twist. Immerse yourself in a musical journey that’s as rich as it is groundbreaking.

Afrogrooves is a tight-knit family of musicians from around the world, based in Amsterdam, with a shared love for Afrobeat. This collective is a melting pot, with a common passion for combining West African music with the sounds of funk, soul, jazz, and hip hop.​​

Afrogrooves started in 2018 as an informal jam session. It quickly distinguished itself as one of the more unique and frequented sessions in the crowded Amsterdam scene because of the large 8-person strong house band, full of tight horn lines and heavy percussion breaks. In addition to jamsessions, Afrogrooves organizes workshops and readings, as well as concerts inviting master musicians to Amsterdam. 

Moussa Cissokho was born in Dakar (Senegal) in 1983 into a family of musicians. As the son of Bacary Cissokho and the grandson of the “King of Kora”, Soundioulou Cissokho, he grew up in the tradition of the griots.

Even in our mediatised, globalised world, the griots maintain their tasks and tell stories, teach, admonish and praise. And sometimes they just let their Koras sing. His grandfather contributed significantly to the popularisation of the kora in Europe. Growing up in the village, he is naturally familiar with the rituals and sounds of the tradition. Moussa grew up in the community of the Mandinka culture, where knowledge is transmitted through oral tradition, stories, songs and proverbs. He regularly teaches at courses in Senegal and Europe. He has lived in Vorarlberg and Switzerland since 2011. His main instrument is the kora (21-string hook harp) as well as tama (message drum, also called “talking drum”). These instruments were traditionally used to convey information in the form of musical codes. 

Line up:

• Prince Moussa Cissokho – Kora and Voice
• Jordao Loupatty – drums
• Cheikh Andji – djembe
• Mark Oomen – guitar
• Misha Voeykov – bass
• Abriel Ferreira – trumpet

After the show, the evening will end with DJ Scurio with ‘Scrurio’s Afrobeats’, a pleasant mix between the best Afrobeat, Highlife, and other danceable African music styles.