Catamount Arts and Upright Steeple Society present Yacouba Sissoko, live at York Street Meeting House, Thursday, September 26th, at 7:00pm. Sissoko is a virtuoso musician and master of the traditional West African instrument known as the kora, which resembles a lute or a harp and has 21 strings.

Throughout West African history, the kora was played as a solo instrument by Djelys, or storytellers, whose role in society was to entertain kings, nobility, and village chiefs exclusively. Songs sung by Djelys were stories handed down from generation to generation, preserving the social lives, cultural identities, and family backgrounds of West African people through a rich oral tradition.

Sissoko has devoted his considerable musical gifts to expanding awareness and appreciation of West African history and culture, spreading the word of peace and empowering his listeners to fully realize the futures they imagine. His performances have a magical effect on audiences as he skillfully conveys traditional songs and stories handed down from his forefathers as modern day messages of love and harmony.