Bassekou Kouyate
Bassekou Kouyate (born in 1966 in Garana) is a musician from Mali. His band is known as Ngoni Ba.
He was born in Garana, Barouéli Cercle, 60 kilometres from Ségou in 1966.[1] At the age of 12, he started playing the Ngoni. In the late 80's he moved to the capital Bamako.[2]
Kouyate's album Segu Blue[3] was released internationally in 2007 by Out Here Records and distributed in the U.K. by Proper Music Distribution. The album was produced by Lucy Duran.[2] He has also appeared on a number of albums by Toumani Diabaté [2] and has performed in several European countries.[2] Kouyate is currently on tour with Bela Fleck.
Kouyate's wife, Ami Sacko, is also a musician and performs in his band.[2] His father Mustapha Kouyaté was a ngoni player and his mother Yagaré Damba was a praise singer.[1]
Discography
- Segu Blue (2007)
- I speak Fula (2009)
Awards
- 2008 - BBC3 Awards for World Music - Album of the Year & African Artist of the Year [4].
References
- ^ a b Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Bassekou Kouyate
- ^ a b c d e Fly Global Music, Marc 10, 2007: Bassekou Kouyate - Blue Like a River to a Desert
- ^ Dacks, David (March 2010). "Ngoni Hero Bassekou Kouyate". Exclaim!.
- ^ BBC3 Awards for World Music winners 2008
- More from Mali: Review. African Business, January 2008.
- mali-music.com: Bassekou Kouyaté. The prince of the strings. 15 January 2004.