Bassekou

Bassekou Kouyaté, commonly known simply as Bassekou, is a Malian musician and master of the ngoni, a traditional West African lute. He leads the ensemble Ngoni Ba and has been a prominent figure in Mali’s contemporary music scene. Born in the 1960s in Gao, Mali, he trained in the griot musical tradition and developed a distinctive ngoni technique that blends ancestral melodies with contemporary textures.

His group Ngoni Ba features multiple ngoni players and vocalists, creating rich, polyphonic ngoni-driven arrangements. His style blends traditional Malian melodies with blues, jazz, and other influences, highlighting virtuosic ngoni playing, rhythmic bass lines, and expressive vocal performances.

A breakthrough came with the album Segu, which brought him international attention and festival appearances. He released further music and toured widely, collaborating with artists across West Africa and beyond, including the release of Ba Power. His work has been presented at major world music festivals and enjoyed broad critical acclaim.

Bassekou Kouyaté is credited with reviving and modernizing the ngoni on the international stage, helping to popularize Malian music worldwide and inspiring a new generation of musicians in Mali and beyond. His recordings and performances emphasize the ngoni’s versatility and its role within a modern African musical landscape.

Discography highlights include Segu with Ngoni Ba and Ba Power, along with various collaborations and live recordings.