Bassekou Kouyate’s band combines four modified ngonis — with extra strings for added kick — to create a sweetly explosive sound that infuses African rhythms with the bite of American blues.
The last few years have seen Bassekou Kouyate being catapulted to the top league of world music stars. His debut album ‘Segu Blue‘, released in 2007 by Munich-based label Out Here Records, received critical acclaim and won the band the coveted honor of performing on the ‘Later with Jools Holland’ TV show on BBC 2, as well as two BBC Radio 3 Awards for World Music (Album of the Year and Best African Act).
Bassekou transformed the traditional music of the ngoni for the modern world and his band’s second effort, ‘I Speak Fula‘ (released by Out Here Records on 21 September 2009 in Europe), conveys the energy and infectious intensity of the band’s live performances. Unsurprisingly, this album also received widespread critical acclaim and in October 2009 Bassekou performed on ‘Later with Jools Holland’ for the second time, alongside Yoko Ono, Smokey Robinson, The Dead Weather and Basement Jaxx.
‘I Speak Fula‘ was released in North America on the Next Ambiance label with Sub Pop Records on February 2, 2010, and thanks to the Sub Pop support and extensive touring, he reached a whole new audience.
Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba
Friday, October 14 • 8 pm
Reynolds Industries Theater
Tickets: $28 • $22 • $5 Duke students
Bassekou Kouyate recordings available:
- In North America: Segu Blue, I Speak Fula
- In Europe: I Speak Fula, Segu Blue
Tickets for all concerts on sale through Duke Performances’ website: www.dukeperformances.org, at the Duke University Box Office on the top level of the Bryan Center, or by calling (919) 684-4444.
Tour dates:
10.13.11 – Durham, NC – workshop
10.14.11 – Durham, NC – Reynolds Industries Theater
10.15.11 – Richmond, VA – Richmond Folk Festival
10.16.11 – Richmond, VA – Richmond Folk Festival
10.18.11 – Mexico City, Mexico – El Plaza Condesa
10.20.11 – New York, NY – Lincoln Center
10.21.11 – Arden, DE – Gild Hall
10.22.11 – Black Mountain, NC – Lake Eden Arts Festival
10.23.11 – Black Mountain, NC – Lake Eden Arts Festival
10.26.11 – Pittsburgh, PA – Carnegie Museum of Art
10.30.11 – San Francisco, CA – YBCA Forum
10.31.11 – Santa Cruz, CA – Rio Theatre
11.02.11 – Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center
11.04.11 – Cleveland, OH – Cleveland Museum of Art
11.05.11 – Atlanta, GA – Rialto Theater
11.10.11 – Vancouver, BC – Red Room on Richards
11.11.11 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
11.12.11 – Seattle, WA – University of Washington
11.16.11 – Dayton, OH – University of Dayton
11.17.11 – Louisville, KY – Clifton Center
11.18.11 – Columbus, OH – Wexner Center
11.19.11 – Hamilton, OH – Miami University
11.24.11 – Montreal, QC – L’astral
11.25.11 – Quebec, QC – Palais Montcalm
11.27.11 – Toronto, ON – Great Hall
Author: World Music Central News Room
World music news from the editors at World Music Central
