Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni Ba

Exciting band from Mali makes traditional string instruments sound like blazing electric guitars. ‘The best afro-rock of the moment’ (NRC).

One of the best African live-bands of this moment is led by Bassekou Kouyaté, who blows away festival audiences all over the world with the ngoni. He makes this small string instrument sound as big as an electric guitar, by using rock effects such as distortion and wah-wah. Traditionally based songs from Mali, sung by his wife Amy Secko, sound sharp and contemporary as backed by a powerfully grooving band with four ngoni’s and percussion. The most recent albums Jama Ko and Ba Power achieved great international success.

‘Kouyaté is the Jimi Hendrix of the afro-rock-with-lute’ (OOR)

Bassekou Kouyaté lead ngoni | Amy Sacko vocal | Moustafa Kouyaté bas ngoni | Moctar Kouyate kalebas | Mahamadou Tounkara yabara/tama (percussion)