Bassekou Kouyaté

Bassekou Kouyaté is a master player of the ngoni, multi-award winner, and is one of Africa’s most charismatic and brilliant performers, but no matter how far he has strayed into the world of fusion, Bassekou remains firmly in touch with his roots – in his home village, Garana. This is the inspiration behind Bassekou's new project, Garana Roots.   Garana Roots is a quintet led by Bassekou Kouyaté on ngoni, with his eldest son Mamadou Kouyaté on ngoni bass; Moctar Kouyaté on calabash and percussion; his daughter Oumou Deli Kouyaté on vocals; and special guest, veteran singer and one-string fiddle player, Zoumana (‘Zou’) Tereta. Zoumana’s rasping vocals and virtuoso playing of the soku are quintessentially from the region of Segou, and have already featured on Bassekou’s albums, they have won Zou a cult following. Bassekou Kouyaté & Garana Roots is specially put together for the Aga Khan Music Initiative, to be debuted at the Spring Festival 2016.