SOUNDTRACK: BALLAKE SISSOKO AND VINCENT SEGAL-Tiny Desk Concert #104 (January 17, 2011).
Back in April 2010, another kora player with the same last name (Yacouba Sissoko) played a Tiny Desk Concert with Regina Carter. Sissoko plays the kora and he is mesmerizing to watch (and to listen to). Vincent Segal plays the cello and he does things with that instrument which I’ve never seen anybody do before. It’s a great duo.
Together, the play some beautiful music. On the first song, “Chamber Music,” Sissoko provides both the lovely backing music as well as some fast plucking. And Segal keeps up and often outplays his partner.
For the second song, “Balazando,” Segal plays the cello like an upright bass and even plays a little bass solo (including some harmonics). Then when Sissoko starts playing Segal, plays such high notes that it sounds almost like a flute and even has a Chinese feel to it.
Before the third song starts watch as Sissoko tunes the kora (by twist ting the ropes that hold the strings in place). “Niandou” opens with Sissoko playing a fast melody (with an up close camera to really show his fingers). Then Segal play a lovely riff of high notes on the cello. The song ends with a very fast section–some quick bass playing on the cello followed by some very fast bowing before returning to the slow opening.
The fourth song features some cool harmonic bowing, the likes of which I’ve never seen on a cello before. The end of the song sees Segal strumming the bowl like a guitar–he can do it all.
Together, they make some beautiful music.
[READ: January 5, 2015] Moomin Volume 1
Inspired by reading the D&Q 25th anniversary book, I decided to check out the books that have been sitting in the children’s section of my library every time I go–Moomin! They are oversized and lovely books and since I’ve paused on Peanuts I thought I’d read some Moomin–which I have never read before.
It was fascinating to read in the D&Q 25th Anniversary book that Moomin started because Jansson tried to draw the ugliest creature she could think of. And it eventually morphed into the adorable round creature that we know as Moomin.
This book contains four stories. I feel like the strips are printed like an every day four panel strip. Each four panel strip is signed and numbered (but not dated) and most of them (but not all) read like they have a punchline at the end. So I’m not entirely sure what to make of the publishing run. Although the front pages state that it originally ran in the Evening News, London 1953-1959.
The four stories are Moomin and the Brigands, Moomin and Family Life, Mooim on the Rivera and Moomin’s Desert Island. (more…)
I Just Read About That... 