By Walter Ryce

Althea SullyCole was part of last year’s three-faculty cluster hire in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, where she is an assistant professor in the Music and Performing Arts department. 

Now the multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and ethnomusicologist is ready to show an audience at CSUMB’s Music Hall, Building 30,  what she — and her bandmates in the Althea SullyCole Trio — can do. 

Her primary instrument is the kora, a 21-stringed harp from the Mande region of West Africa. She has studied with korists Yacouba Sissoko and Edou Manga, has performed with Billy Harper, Fred Ho, Sahad Sarr and others, and received her doctorate in ethnomusicology from Columbia University in February 2023. 

Her group is performing a concert of traditional, contemporary, and original compositions in contemporary jazz and African styles. 

Her bandmates are Alec Saelens, a guitarist from Brussels, Belgium, and Ras Moshe, composer, and multi-instrumentalist specializing in saxophone and flute, from Brooklyn, New York. 

“I am honored to work with Alec and Ras, each of whom is a tremendous listener and is open to all sorts of creativity,” SullyCole said. “I have worked with each of them for a decade or more, which is most of the time that I have been playing kora; so, as I have added pieces to my repertoire, they have learned them with me and become integral to my sound.”

The free performance will be at the Music Hall, Building 30, on campus from 7 - 9 p.m. Friday, April 14. There will be two sets of 40 minutes each, with a 10-minute intermission. 

"I am absolutely thrilled about this performance," says Juanita Cole, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. "Dr. SullyCole's expertise in Ethnomusicology and well-developed inclusive excellence perspectives are foundational to her teaching, and scholarly and creative work. Folks should not miss this opportunity to enjoy the music of this exceptional performer and support our talented new faculty member."

SullyCole said she will talk to the audience about the kora, her experience with it and the band's repertoire.

“I'll be more focused on playing than speaking,” she said. “I'm always happy to take questions from the audience, though. We are really looking forward to sharing our music with the community.”