ALLHELGONASERIEN: Lamine Cissokho & Christer Lyssarides

Lamine Cissokho & Christer Lyssarides An encounter with vibrating strings Lamine Cissokho is a musician, arranger and composer and one of the major names in contemporary kora. The kora is a West African stringed instrument that traditionally has 21 strings.

Although the kora resembles a guitar, it is rather a harp where the strings are never shortened to create higher notes. As heir to a lineage of Mandinka griots from Casamance in Senegal, Lamine has been trained since childhood by his father Lalo Keba Dramé, a distinguished exponent of the instrument.

This traditional foundation has been the anchor for an international artistic career. Lamine, who has been based in Sweden for two decades, has developed a personal and original aesthetic where he combines Mandinka repertoire, improvisations and elements from jazz and Nordic folk music.

His playing is characterised by great technical finesse both melodically and rhythmically. Lamine's virtuosity, technique and unique playing style have made it possible for him to open the kora to the world.

He has established himself as one of the instrument's foremost voices and continues to create his artistic path through concerts, compositions, teaching as spaces for transmission, encounters and innovation. Christer Lyssarides is the guitarist with a distinctive tone who has played with Eric Bibb, Yonder, OK Star Orchestra and many others.

In recent years, the longing has grown strong to formulate his own words and especially to sing. In 2026 he released his second album in his own name 'Time Being'.

Christer's music, which draws on older blues and spirituals, has been described as lyrical, atmospheric and meditative. This evening Christer and Lamine meet in Allhelgona Church for an attentive musical conversation in the spirit of improvisation and stillness.

Unnumbered, admission at 18.30