Two new artists ready for Oslo World

At just 26 years old, Momi Maiga is one of the new masters of the West African harp. He is a skilled vocalist and a composer who blends his music with jazz, flamenco, and hints of European classical music. Raised in the Casamance region in southern Senegal, Maiga hails from the renowned Cissokho family of musicians and was nurtured in their rich musical traditions. He started playing the kora at the age of six, showcasing rare talent. Now based in Girona, Maiga has made a name for himself in Spain, Belgium, and France. In late 2022, he released his debut album, "Nio," which was followed by concerts all over Europe. In october, just in time for the festival, he will present his second album, "Kairo," whose title means "peace" in Mandinka, his mother tongue. During the concert at Oslo World, he will be joined by his cousin, Ibou Cissokho.

Ibou comes from a long line of griots and was taught by his father, the legendary Solo Cissokho, who made his mark on Norwegian music when he moved here in the 1990s. He has followed in his fathers footsteps, doing many collaborations and concerts – in 2022, he was a key member of Karpes historic 10 concert run in Oslo Spektrum, and he joined them on a European tour as well. Get ready for a meeting between two kora virtuosos during this years Oslo World!

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Marianna Sangita Angeletaki Røes ΣΠΊΤΙ/Hjem is a deeply personal, ambitious musical work spanning several musical traditions. The singer and percussionist has built what might be the most stylistically diverse version of the legendary Trondheim Jazz Orchestra to date, including practitioners of joik, greek folk music, arabic maqam, carnatic music and balkan traditions. The music is based in Røes own studies of the maqam tradition in Crete, as well as her search for a sense of home in the world, a reconciliation of her Norwegian and Greek roots. It is based around monophone melodies and rhythms, common in several music traditions, shared and toyed with by the many gifted musicians present.

In addition to telling her own story, ΣΠΊΤΙ/Hjemwas also Mariannas way of pushing Norwegian improvised music in a positive direction. It is more diverse than ever, but an orchestra such as this, where jazz is just one of many perspectives on improvisation and interplay, feels like something new. There are moments of intimacy and introspection in these songs – but when the members of ΣΠΊΤΙ/Hjem meet up on stage it also feels like a grand social occasion, filling venues with joy, rhythmical ecstasy and dreams of new musical possibilities.

Buy tickets to Oslo World here!