
The Malian griot Bassekou Kouyaté is a true master of the ngoni (a traditional, West African long-necked spit lute) and is considered an important moderniser of West African griot music. Kouyaté amplifies his instrument electronically, uses effects devices and adds elements of melancholic blues and rock to the traditional sounds of his homeland. The result is a fusion that Western audiences like to call desert or Mali blues and which, after musicians like Mdou Moctar and Tinariwen, helped him to achieve an international breakthrough. He has played with greats like Paul McCartney and was nominated for a Grammy for his second album I Speak Fula. As part of Culturescapes 2023 Sahara, Bassekou Kouyaté, accompanied by his wife, the fantastic singer Amy Sacko, will present an evening of chamber music in which he reinterprets the music of his parents.
In collaboration with Culturescapes 2023 Sahara.