African Jimmi Hendrix Bassekou Kouyate concert in Prague

The African Jimmi Hendrix plays the ngoni. The ngoni is an ancient traditional lute found throughout West Africa and Kouyate introduces it to Western audiences, making it internationally popular.

Bassekou was born in a village in the remote countryside on the banks of the Niger river. He was raised in a traditional musical environment, his mother a praise singer and his father and brothers exceptional ngoni players.

Taj Mahal describes him as a genius, a living proof that the blues comes from the region of Segu. Bassekou Kouyate is one of Malis best-known Ngoniplayers. He has collaborated with many important traditional musicians of his country as well as international such as Carlos Santana, U2 among many many others.

Bassekou Kouyate approaches music making in a beautifully relaxed manner, letting notes drift out, one ngoni dancing across another, weaving subtle patterns of strings, while male and female voices echo one another and then merge at choruses.