Bassekou Kouyate is one of the true masters of the ngoni found throughout West Africa. The sensational album 'Segu Blue' which was released in Europe in the spring 2007 is his first solo album and features the first and only ngoni quartet. Over the years Bassekou has collaborated with many musicians from his homeland Mali and internationally. Bassekou was one of the key musicians on Ail Farka Toure's posthumous album 'Savane' which was released July 2006 having previously toured with Ali Farka Toure, stunning audiences worldwide as the band's solo ngoni ployer. He has played in the Symmetric trio along side ToumoniDiobate (kora) and Keletlgul Dlabote [balafon), was olso a part of Taj Mahal's and Toumani Diabate's 'Kulanjan' project and features prominently on Youssou N'Dour's latest album 'Rokku mi Rokka' and Dee Dee Bridgwafer's 'Red Earth'.
Bassekou was born in a village called Garano, almost 40 miles from Segu, in the remote countryside on the banks of the Niger River. He was raised in a traditional musical environment, his mother is a praise singer and his father and brothers are exceptional ngoni players. Bassekou moved to Bamako when he was 19 years old where he met the young Toumani Diabate. By the late 1980s Bassekou was part of Toumani's trio and they recorded their first albums together, 'Sanghai' and 'Djelika'. Bassekou married the singer Amy Sacko [the so-called "Tina Turner of Mali") and they have been in high demand for the traditional wedding parties that happen in the streets of Bamako. Bassekau has now put together his awn band, Ngoni ba (meaning "the big ngoni").
The ngoni is one of Africa's secrets still to be discovered. It is the key instrument for the griot culture. Unlike the kora whose history goes back only a few hundred years, the ngoni has been the main instrument in griot storytelling going back to the 13th century during the days of Soundiata Keita, the founder of the Mali Empire. The repertoire Bassekou plays is Bambara music from the region of Segu. Bambara music is pentatonic in nature and as close to the blues as you can get in Africa. As Taj Mahal puts it " ... Bossekou is a genius, a living proves that the blues comes from the region of Segu."
The songs on 'Segu Blue' tell the story of one of the last pre-colonial Malian empires: the Bambara empire of Segu founded by Bitôn Mamary Coulibaly in 1712. The CD's 2G-page booklet draws up a vivid picture of Malian social life before the colonial powers subdued the last local empires.
'Segu Blue' features guest musicians Kosse MadyDiabate, Lobi Traore, LassaooDiabate (incidentally, there is no Kara or djembe on this album) and singersZoumana )emtâ and Bassekou's wife, Amy Sccko. The album Is produced by Lucy Duran, recorded at studio Bogolan in Bamako by Yves Wernert and mixed in London by Jerry Boys (the man responsible for recording and mixing 1 Bueno Vista Social Club' amongst others).
In summer 2007 Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoniba featuring the beautiful and emotive voice of Amy Sacko, wowed audiences across Europe at major festivals and venues on their amazing debut tour. This was followed up by another UK/European tour in November which included more intimate venues and allowing for longer and even more dynamic performances. On stage the music takes on a life of its own with high energy music, dance routines and power that would compare to any rock band! This group is fresh, funky but rooted in a traditional style.