Joe Driscoll and Sekou Kouyate
CSPS Hall-Saturday, Feb 14 at 8 p.m.
Watch two worlds collide into one as New Yorker Joe Driscoll and Guinean Sekou Kouyate perform at CSPS Hall on Saturday. Though their languages differ, Driscoll’s interest in looping a fusion of folk and hip-hop pairs impressively well with Kouyate’s use of distortion pedals and expertise with the kora, 21-string West African harp.
The unlikely duo first met at the French festival, Nuit Metis in 2010 where they were challenged to create a cohesive concert in just one week. In order to break through the cultural barriers, the two used music as their common language. After their first collaboration, the pair released their first album entitled Faya and secured over 120 concert dates around Europe.
Through a combination of beatboxing, spoken word and soulful kora playing, Driscoll and Kouyate address the social issues encountered in their global travels. Poverty, immigration and inequality are just some of the impactful topics touched on throughout Faya. However, their interests intersect in more ways than just their social-awareness. In their song “Lady,” the two musicians depict the universal experience of pursuing a lover. The two artists might not speak in the same tongue but their musical connection cannot be denied.
