Bad Ischler Rundschau June 2003

Photo: Josef H. Handlechner

Bad Ischl / Bil Aka Kora & Djongo System formed the start for this year's summer concerts from the cultural institute "Der Keller". Bil Aka Kora, who comes from Burkina Faso (West Africa) is among the most successful musicians of his country. Inspired by the rhythm of the Kassena, a people who live in Ghana and Burkina Faso, with melodic and powerful pieces and partly a very melancholic touch Bil Aka Kora gives a view into the music of these people. But the Kassena do not only have a very special music, a dance called "Djongo" is also famous.

As well as in the south of Burkina Faso, the Kassena are also indigenous to the north of Ghana and famous for their architecture, and the elaborate masks. The group around Bil Aka Kora combines traditional instruments like the bendrés, lunga, gulu and siwa with keyboard, guitar and drums. One of the highpoints of the evening in the Lehàrtheater: the unexpected guest appearance from Hubert von Goisern, who had already been able to make the acquaintance of Bil Aka Kora in Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, since there it came to a spontaneous ensemble playing.

Before the concert in Bad Ischl, the two men appeared together in the Böhmische Prater in Vienna at the Weltkulturfest, which was organised by "Kulturen in Bewegung" and took place against the background of connecting people. Incidentally, Burkina Faso is the main country of the Austrian development cooperation, the beginning of the cooperation reaches back to the 60s.

Photo: Josef H. Handlechner

Silvia Panzl
© Bad Ischler Rundschau

123partynet June 2003

On Wednesday, the singer and musician from Burkina Faso, Bil Aka Kora, gave a thrilling concert in Bad Ischl

This show was a special musical experience, not least through the collaboration with Hubert von Goisern. Hubert had after all already played with Bil Aka Kora and his band in Ouagadougou last year and a joint programme for the World Culture Festival, which took place at Whitsun in the Böhmischen Prater in Vienna.

But for Bil Aka Kora and his musicians, it went high above during the day. Up Katrin with the cable car, whereby the African was not only impressed by the snow on the Dachstein glacier, but also by the technical masterstroke of the cable car construction! There was then a tasty snack for the guests on the Katrinalm, and they didn't turn down beer and schnapps either!