This is music from Sweden, Senegal and Mexico that mixes to a fine quartet blend, but that also demonstrate the strong musical individuality of each musician. Solo performances by the group’s members are interspersed with ensemble playing. This is strange, unique and intertwining music, for dancing, listening or both.
Ellika Frisell passes on the rich Bingsjö tradition, and is well-known for being a part of the influential ensembles Filarfolket and Den Fule. Solo Cissokho plays the stringed West-African instrument kora, similar to a harp. He is also a Griot, a storyteller that delivers history as a poet, praise singer, and wandering musician. He has lived in Norway since 1995.
The duo won the BBC awards for World Music in 2003, and has also been nominated for the Nordic Council’s Music Award. They have toured extensively in USA and Africa and in most of Europe.
Norwegian newspaper Dagsavisen has portrayed them like this: 'Ellika and Solo are simply the gathering of Nordic pols, waltz and springar with Senegalese kora and the Griot musical story telling – an exhilarating and bighearted project with musical glow and perfection.'
Ellika Frisell | fiddle
Solo Cissokho | kora, vocals
Rafael Sida | percussion
Sigge Krantz | bass
You will find the web page for Ellika and Solo here. In order to find out more about the event, we recommend that you also move on to this page. Folkelarm 2011 will take place at Riksscenen, Oslo, from the 29th of September to the 1st of October.