Biography
Kilissa Cissoko sings her finely crafted, tuneful songs with nuance and grace. Classically trained and soulfully syncopated, her music embraces diverse influences. An observant lyricist, she plays on the balance of candid wit and emotional honesty.
A multi-instrumentalist, Kilissa Cissoko brings a light, sophisticated touch to the piano as backup for her expressive voice. She is also accomplished on guitar, woodwinds and percussion.
In addition to songwriting Cissoko teaches and has gigged in groups covering reggae, jazz and rock—including the music of Frank Zappa. Alongside her originals she enjoys to interpret jazz & pop standards from classic to contemporary—including Carol King, Roberta Flack, Norah Jones and Alicia Keys.
After receiving her BFA in Music Performance at SUNY Buffalo, she moved on to a career as an indie artist with the acoustic/original duo The Jazzabels —which was notably the opening band for Ani DiFranco's first tape release party. In the 1990’s the duo toured the USA and abroad, including: Kerrville Folk Festival (Texas), NxNE (Toronto), The Bitter End (NYC), CBGB Lounge (NYC), Club Passim (Boston), The Old Town School of Folk Music (Chicago), Skippers (Tampa)...and more, releasing three CDs, and garnering reviews in national publications such as Sing Out! and Performing Songwriter.
After a hiatus for motherhood—in 2005 Kilissa Cissoko returned to the stage as a solo artist at major venues at home and abroad. In her hometown Buffalo, NY she has performed at the Elmwood Festival of the Arts, Mamapalooza Buffalo Festival and Nietzsche's Nightclub, as well as intimate performances at cafes and community events. In January 2008 she was a featured artist at Ujima Theater, and was interviewed on the 88.7 WBFO Buffalo Avenues show. In August 2008 she received a New York Foundation for the Arts grant to perform at the Zappanale Festival of music by Frank Zappa in Bad Doberan, Germany. In July 2009 she premiered her first work for musical theater in the Buffalo Infringement Festival.
Born in Baltimore, Cissoko was raised in Chicago where she got her musical start with the Chicago Children's Choir and children's musical theater. A classically trained flutist, she earned her BFA in Music Performance and Masters in Music Education from SUNY Buffalo, where she studied composition with Yvar Mikhashof. In the 90's (concurrent with touring) she worked in the arts education trenches as Director of Musicians United for Superior Education bringing African drumming and dancing to children in Buffalo schools and community centers. She has taught at the University level, and gives clinics for music teachers. She currently teaches music in the Buffalo Public Schools.
Instrumentation
Solo performer
Kilissa Cissoko (vocals, keyboards)
Band performances (various musicians)
VIDEO: www.youtube.com/KilissaCissoko
Discography
DISCOGRAPHY
Why Go To Work When You Can Play? (solo, 1988)
Come Hell or High Harmonies (the Jazzabels, 1990)
Café All Day (The Jazzabels, 1994)
Skyway (The Jazzabels, 1996)
Currently working on solo CD.
Kilissa's song "Oh Life" is featured on Buffalo radio station 107.7 FM The Lake's Fourth Local CD #4 (2008)
AIRPLAY
Pre-Release tracks from Kilissa Cissoko's upcoming independent solo cd have already been featured on 107.7 FM The Lake (Buffalo, NY), and Podcasts: Nette Radio, Feminine Groove, and RubyFruit Radio.
REVIEWS
Kilissa's folk/acoustic duo, the Jazzabels, was reviewed in CMJ, Performing Song Writer, Dirty Linen, Sing Out! and various newspapers and zines in the USA and Canada.
Links
| http://www.kilissa.com |