Members of the Constantinople ensemble from Canada meet Senagalese kora maestro Ablaye Cissoko in a converted Stockholm stable. Saturday evening’s superb, sold-out concert at Stallet was a very international affair.
Sometimes when I go to a gig I know pretty much what to expect and can even predict the set list and the encores. This was not the case on Saturday evening. I was in a state of joyous ignorance and anticipation. Ducool had recommended the gig to me mentioning the excellent kora player Ablaye Cissoko. Kora gigs are few and far between these days. I was in.
The ticket price was very reasonable and the venue was appealing, Stallet is very cosy and informal rather like a British folkclub. The most recent band I’d seen there was the Rheingans Sisters. I suspected I was in for another top notch gig. The audience was full of hipsters and cognoscenti. Eaves-dropping on conversations, i got the impression there were several musicians in the audience. i recognised a bloke who lives on my street who is a rather talented klezmer player.
Looking at the stage before the musicians came on, I was impressed by the enormous variety of percussion instruments on display.