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„They just keep getting better. The instrumental pyrotechnics never fail to amaze. They've obviously been doing some technical work on the ngonis for improved sound - Bassekou now has a volume control!. But if the music astonishes with its ever increasing tightness, the whole visual show is just joyful too - the choreography has gone up another level. At times their synchronised footwork is like one of those great 60s soul reviews, at others they remind of the Shadows or Status Quo. All this in gold robes bathed in orange and red light, as regal as you can get, and with Ami Sacko singing up a sandstorm. Just as you think it can't get any better, Bassekou breaks out the wah-wah while the tama bubbles and burbles. Disco ngoni through a Fender amp - how cool can you get?!“

Worth the 120 mile round trip from London? You bet!“

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. Most recently he is featured on Ali Farkas posthumous album 'Savane' and toured with him leaving a lasting impression on the audience as the bands solo ngoni player. Bassekou was born in a village called Garana about 60 kms from Segu, 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. He moved to Bamako when he was 19 years old where he met the young Toumani Diabate. By the late 1980s Bassekou was part of Toumanis trio and they recorded their first albums together, Songhai and Djelika. Bassekou married the singer Amy Sacko (so-called the Tina Turner of Mali) and they are much solicited for the traditional Sunday wedding parties that happen in the streets of Bamako. After collaborating a lot with others both nationally and internationally Bassekou now finally has put together his own band: Ngoni ba; the big ngoni: Malis first ngoni quartett. In July he recorded his debutalbum Segu Blue for the Munich based company out l here records.

The ngoni is one of Africas secrets still to be discouvered. It is the key instrument for Griot culture. Unlike the kora whose history goes back only a few hundered years, the ngoni has been the main instrument for accompagning griotstory way back into the days of Soundiata Keita. The repertoire Bassekou plays on Segu Blue is from the region of Segu the heart of Bambara culture, 200 km northeast of Bamako on the banks of the niger river. Unlike mandenka griot music, Bambara music is pentatonic in nature, a music as close to the Blues as you can get in Africa. Segu Blue was produced by Lucy Duran, recorded at studio Bogolan in Bamako by Yves Wernert and mixed by Jerry Boys in London. Executive producer: Jay Rutledge. www.outhere.de