Transcending borders and genres SARGAL documents the genesis of a new and powerful musical partnership...

w/ special guest Mino Cinélu on the first three tracks.

Experience a profoundly beautiful new chapter in trumpeter/producer Volker Goetze's inspiring explorations of West African traditional Mande music with jazz. This time he collaborates in duo with the revered Senegalese kora master, singer, and Kora innovator, Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko (Trilok Gurtu, Manu Dibango, Angélique Kidjo...) with legendary percussionist, Mino Cinélu (Miles Davis, Weather Report, George Benson…) guesting on the first three tracks. Sargal's exquisite program of both chill and uplifting groove tracks, centers on themes of gratitude and resilience. A vital new addition to the kora meets jazz lexicon and a perfect soundtrack to promote harmonious life.

A heartfelt tribute of gratitude and resilience, SARGAL honors all those who have helped humanity navigate through challenging times. With his masterful kora playing and soulful vocals, Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko expresses a profound message of thanks to everyone who treated, researched, found vaccines, and prayed to help the people of Dakar and the world come out of the global epidemic. This new duo conveys the spirit of unity, sensitivity, and hope that these artists are committed to sharing with the world to help carry us forward.

Volker Goetze's prior acclaimed productions Amanke Dionte and Sira, as well as his award-winning film THE GRIOT, each featured Ablaye Cissoko (Ali Boulo Santo's brother) and received praise world-wide from world music and jazz outlets collectively gaining over 35 million streams. With this new production, recorded in France in 2021, Volker documents the extraordinary chemistry he discovered with Ali Boulo Santo Cissoko during the pandemic, as they created their very first musical works. These Sargal sessions subsequently sparked the idea for their now widely-acclaimed trumpet, kora, and flamenco guitar trio project, Flamenkora, which debuted with a self-titled release on Motéma in 2023 and is now in production for a sophomore release.