Intro Text
Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba ecstatically explore the spiritual songs, stories, and rhythms of Senegal’s millennia-old Mandé culture. Cissokho comes from a long line of prominent griots who are entrusted to maintain a West African village’s genealogies and important ceremonial affairs through song. Cissokho and his band, Kaira Ba, effortlessly integrate the traditional sounds of the kora with a modern rush of electric guitar and an exuberant rhythm section.
Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba ecstatically explore the spiritual songs, stories, and rhythms of Senegal’s millennia-old Mandé culture. Cissokho comes from a long line of prominent griots who are entrusted to maintain a West African village’s genealogies and important ceremonial affairs through song. Cissokho and his band, Kaira Ba, effortlessly integrate the traditional sounds of the kora with a modern rush of electric guitar and an exuberant rhythm section.
When Cissokho immigrated from Senegal to North Carolina, he initiated a collaboration that he hoped might bridge the Atlantic, connecting worlds thousands of miles apart but bound by a shared history. Over the past eight years, Kaira Ba has done just that, producing three full-length albums, touring extensively in the United States, and voyaging twice as a band to Senegal to collaborate with Diali’s extended family and community. In 2014, the band was nominated for the prestigious continent-wide All Africa Music Award (AFRIMA) in the category “Best African Group” for their album The Great Peace. In 2018 the band released Routes, its most ambitious album to date. Recorded in both North Carolina and Senegal, the album was met with critical acclaim. Songlines hailed the album as “up there with the groundbreaking recordings of Thione Seck, Baaba Maal and Youssou N’Dour.”
This engagement is supported by the Arts Midwest GIG Fund, a program of Arts Midwest that is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Minnesota State Arts Board.
TICKETS GO ON SALE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2 AT 9AM.
Tickets available at Rochester Civic Music in City Hall (walk-in or by phone, no handling fees), the Mayo Civic Center Box Office (walk-in, no handling fees), and Ticketmaster (online). Order by phone at 507-328-2200 or 800-657-3980 or in person at 201 4th St. SE, Suite 170 (City Hall). Group rates available. More information at rochestermn.gov/civicmusic.
The Rochester Civic Music Box Office hours are 9 AM - 4 PM (M-F). We are open through the noon hour. Cash, Check, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover are accepted.
Current City of Rochester COVID-19 guidelines require the use of facial coverings in all City buildings including the Mayo Civic Center and Rochester Civic Theatre.
Established in 2010, the Passport Sessions program brings musicians to our local community to highlight a wide variety of cultures and traditions.
Each year, three bands perform for local youth and the community. Youth at Rochester's School Age Child Care (SACC) program are given up-close-and-personal outreach sessions, and we partner with Rochester Downtown Alliance (RDA) for fun, free community concerts at Thursdays Downtown.
WHEN
Public concerts at Thursdays Downtown start at 7 p.m.
SACC outreach events are not open to the public.
COST
Passport Sessions concerts at Thursdays Downtown are free and open to the public!
SACC outreach events are free, but not open to the public.
SEATING
Thursdays Downtown is an outdoor festival. Space is available on a first come, first served basis. Come early to choose your spot! Seats are not provided.
ITEMS TO BRING
Thursdays Downtown is an outdoor festival in Downtown Rochester. Items to make your experience more comfortable are welcome. Concessions will be available at the event.
CONCESSIONS
Thursdays Downtown features a large variety of local food and beverage vendors. Vendor information is available here.
SURVEYS
Public Music staff will be at the events with surveys. Please help us improve our events by completing one!
WEATHER POLICY
Thursdays Downtown is an outdoor festival, and events may be cancelled due to inclement weather. Please check our event updates page for changes to the Passport Sessions schedule.
THURSDAYS DOWNTOWN
Passport Sessions artists perform free concerts at Thursdays Downtown, an annual outdoor summer festival located in downtown Rochester.
A weekly summer staple of downtown Rochester, Thursdays Downtown combines arts, music, food, and a vendor market into one free community-uniting, block-party-style event.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund.
