TILIBO

Ibou Cissokho, Ole André Farstad & Sidiki Camara

Tilibo (with Ibou Cissokho & Sidiki Camara)

In 2022, Senegalese-Norwegian kora virtuoso Ibou Cissokho and multi-string instrumentalist Ole André Farstad performed together for the first time. The musical chemistry was instantaneous, sparking the birth of TILIBO—a Mandinka word meaning “Where the sun rises.” Throughout 2023, the duo underwent intensive composition and arrangement labs, culminating in their celebrated album Woo La Ba, recorded over a dense three-day tracking session at Bergen’s renowned Duper Studio.

Translating to “Go deep,” Woo La Ba is anchored in a highly sophisticated, conversational dialogue between the 21-string African harp (kora) and acoustic guitar. However, the sonic architecture of the album expands far beyond a traditional duo. In the studio, Cissokho and Farstad layered the tracks with an array of traditional instrumentation and vocal parts. Cissokho provided the driving, hypnotic pulses of the calabash and sabardrums, while Farstad interwove rare West African plucked lineages—including the xalam and ngoni—alongside the distinct, rhythmic percussive attack of the 17th-century European Baroque guitar. The result is a dense, hypnotic web of interlocking acoustic strings and polyrhythms that draws the listener into a deep musical trance.

To translate this intricate studio tapestry into a powerful live concert experience, Tilibo expanded into a trio, incorporating the legendary Malian master percussionist Sidiki Camara into their sonic universe.

Camara brings a massive international pedigree to the ensemble; he is globally recognized for his work as a guest artist in Bill Frisell’s “New Quartet,” his contributions to the Grammy-nominated masterpiece “The Intercontinentals,” and his historic role as the premier percussionist for the National Ballet of Mali. In 2024, Camara won the Spellemannprisen (the Norwegian Grammy) in the Traditional Music category for his solo work. With Camara’s explosive, masterfully nuanced rhythmic vocabulary framing the strings, Tilibo’s live performances have captivated audiences at major national hubs, including Riksscenen, Folkelarm, Nattjazz, and Kunsthuset Kabuso.

"They met in so many ways and on so many levels... resulting in fantastically beautiful and unique conversations between two musical brothers from two different worlds, who at the same time share so much in common. 'Woo La Ba' means to go deep, and these two great brothers and musicians certainly do exactly that."
— Tor Hammerø, Nettavisen / Romsdals Budstikke