BASSEKOU KOUYATE & NGONI BA (Mali)
A MWLDAN | JAZZHAUS ARTISTS CO-PRODUCTION
Mali’s Bassekou Kouyate is one of the true masters of the ngoni, an ancient traditional lute found throughout West Africa, and is respected as one of Africa’s premier global artists. His band, Ngoni Ba, includes ngoni players (featuring ngonis with differing tonal sizes), percussionists (talking drum, Yabara, Calebasse) and the fantastic singer Amy Sacko. Together they have revolutionised the sound of the ngoni, and radically fired centuries of griot tradition into the future. Bassekou has collaborated with the likes of Ali Farka Toure, Toumani Diabate, Taj Mahal, and The Kronos Quartet, and joined the Africa Express tour in 2016 along with Damon Albarn and Paul Weller. Bassekou's latest album “Miri” ('dream' in Bamana) topped the World Music Charts Europe in February 2019 and was voted “Best Album of the Year” by Songlines magazine.
Incredible dexterity and stunning music from one of Africa’s music visionaries.
UK TOUR 2023:
May
30 Canolfan Y Cefyddydau Aberystwyth Arts Centre
June
4 Band On The Wall, Manchester
5 Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry
11 Weston Studio Wales Millenium Centre, Cardiff, part of Dathliad Cymru-Affrica Festival
