Kilissa Cissoko sings her finely crafted, tuneful songs with jazz nuance and exhuberent grace. Classically trained and soulfully syncopated, her music embraces rock, reggae and blues. A natural performer, she confides vivid and emotionally honest lyrics. Kilissa Cissoko has been a longtime artist on the indie scene and a road warrior with her former acoustic/original duo The Jazzabels. She has shared the stage with artists including Ani DiFranco and Marcia Ball, and performed at festivals, colleges and venues throughout the USA and abroad, including: Kerrville Folk Festival (Texas), NxNE (Toronto), The Bitter End (NYC), CBGB Lounge (NYC), Club Passim (Boston), The Old Town School of Folk Music (Chicago), Skippers (Tampa), Three Rivers Arts Festival (Pittsburgh), Trinational Arts Festival (Michochan, Mexico), Rock Café 69 (Rome, Italy). A multi-instrumentalist, Cissoko brings her light, sophisticated touch to piano, guitar, flute, sax and percussion. In addition to songwriting, she gigs regionally in groups covering reggae, jazz and rock—including the music of Frank Zappa. She is currently working on her independent CD release and performs solo (vocal/piano) or with her back up band (keys/guitar/bass/drums). Born in Baltimore, Cissoko was raised in Chicago where she got her musical start with the Chicago Children's Choir and community musical theater. She earned her BFA in Music Performance and Masters in Music Education from SUNY Buffalo, where she studied composition with Yvar Mikhashof. In the 90's (concurrent with touring!!!) she worked in the arts education trenches as Director of Musicians United for Superior Education, bringing African drumming and dancing to children in Buffalo schools and community centers. She currently teaches music (K-4) in the Buffalo Public Schools. She has taught at the University level, and is a highly rated clinician for the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA). She married into a family of traditional African musicians in the line of the renowned Soundioulou Cissoko of Senegal. She is a proud Rocking Mom to a six year old son. Many women will be able to relate to her story—she took a break from touring for her family, but now that her child is older she's getting back to writing and performing as a solo artist. In 2006 she formed a back up band and performed at Mamapalooza Buffalo, the Elmwood Festival of the Arts, and various venues in Buffalo. Discography 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) Currently working on solo CD. AIRPLAY Pre-Release demos from Kilissa Cissoko's upcoming independent solo cd have already been featured on 107.7 FM The Lake (Buffalo, NY), and Podcasts: Nette Radio, Feminine Groove, RubyFruit, REVIEWS The Jazzabels were reviewed in CMJ, Performing Song Writer, Dirty Linen, Sing Out! and various newspapers and zines in the USA and Canada.