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Classically trained and soulfully syncopated, Kilissa Cissoko is a tuneful and observant songwriter with comparisons to Carole King and Fiona Apple.
Originally from Baltimore and raised in Chicago, Kilissa now makes her home in Buffalo, NY. In the 1990's she worked as an independent songwriter and performing artist with a variety of groups and was featured at major venues and festivals in the US and abroad. After a hiatus for motherhood, she is currently writing and recording material as a solo artist and is developing a new work for musical theater.
Also an innovative music educator, earned her BFA and EdM degrees in music from the State University of New York. She was Executive Director of the MUSE Artists in Education program, founded the Tiny Tunes Early Childhood Music Program, and currently teaches Elementary Music (K-4) in the Buffalo Public Schools. She serves as a mentor teacher and curriculum writer for the district. Her focus is on Creativity in Music Education.
Kilissa has a gift for melody and a razor sharp skill for honing compelling lyrics. Her music blends many influences and as a performer she naturally engages the audience.
Discography:
Why Go To Work When You Can Play? (solo, 1988)
Come Hell or High Harmonies (the Jazzabels, 1990)
Café All Day (The Jazzabels, 1994)
Skyway (The Jazzabels, 1996)
Super Sexy Girlfriend (solo, 2005)
Unplugged (solo, 2007)
Airport Musical (Script and Music, 2009)
The Lost Tapes (solo, 1998/2011)
Kilissa's song "Oh Life" is featured on Buffalo radio station 107.7 FM The Lake's Fourth Local CD #4 (2008)
Instruments:
Voice, Piano, Guitar, Flute, Saxophone, Percussion
Influences:
Carole King, Fionna Apple, Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone, Kate Bush, Tori Amos, Norah Jones, Pete Seeger,
Paul Simon, The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Billy Bragg, The Talking Heads, The Pretenders, Frank Zappa,
Harold Arlen, Richard Rogers, Andrew Lloyd Webber, J.S. Bach, A.W. Mozart, John Cage, Babatunde Olatunji
Current Musical Group:
Kilissa Cissoko - solo piano and voice, originals, jazz and soul covers
Kilissa Cissoko Experience - 4 piece band, orginal and rock covers
Former Musical Groups:
The Bloodthirsty Vegans - original rock/hip hop band
Voice of Cheez - performing the music of Frank Zappa.
Dreadbeats - classic reggae and zydeco
The Jazzabels - original indie/acoustic duo
12/8 Path - New Orleans style marching band
Street Rhythm - Women's Afro-Latin Percussion Ensemble
UB Philharmonia - University Orchestra
Chicago Children's Choir
Hyde Park JCC Lilliput Theater Troupe
Venues:
The Bitter End (New York)
CBGB Lounge (New York)
Club Passim (Boston)
The Old Town School of Folk Music (Chicago)
Skippers (Tampa, FL)
Barking Spider (Cleveland, OH)
Milestones (Rochester, NY)
Rongovian Embassy (Trumansburg, NY)
Tralfadamdore Cafe (Buffalo, NY)
Nietzsche's (Buffalo, NY)
People Art (Buffalo, NY)
Ujima Theater (Buffalo, NY)
Merge (Buffalo, NY)
Rock Cafe 69 (Rome, Italy)
Festivals:
Elmwood Festival of the Arts (Buffalo, NY)
Mamapalooza Buffalo Festival, Albright Knox Art Gallery (Buffalo, NY)
Buffalo Infringement Festival (Buffalo, NY)
Taste of Buffalo (Buffalo, NY)
Trumansburg Music Festival (Ithaca, NY)
Kerrville Folk Festival (Kerrville, Texas)
North by Northeast (Toronto, Canada)
Three Rivers Arts Festival (Pittsburgh, PA)
Zappanale Festival of music by Frank Zappa (Bad Doberan, Germany)
Trinational Festival (Michoacan, Mexico)
Songwriter Reviews:
Sing Out!
Performing Songwriter
Awards:
Buffalo Artvoice Music Awards, Best New Original Band, The Jazzabels
Buffalo Artvoice Music Awards, Best World Beat Group, The Dreadbeats
New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship
Joy Foundation Fellowship
Mentors:
Holly Bewlay, Voice
Douglas Trigger Gaston, Piano
Leah Zicari, Guitar
Robert Mols, Flute
Yvar Mikhashof, Composition
Edwin Gordon, Music Learning Theory
Maria Runfola, Masters in Music Education
Charlie Keil, Multicultural Educational Praxis
Martin Dalmasi, Afro-Latin Drumming and Saxophone (Domincan Republic)
Wendell Rivera, Afro-Latin Drumming (Puerto Rico)
Ignacio Cervantes Escuela de la Musica, Afro-Latin Drumming (Cuba)
P. Kengmo, African Drum and Dance (Cameroon)
Ndey Guey, African Dance (Senegal)
Landing Diatta, African Drum and Dance (Senegal)
Boubacar Cissoko, African Drum and Dance (Senegal)
Chicago Children's Choir, Voice
Hyde Park JCC, Children's Musical Theater
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