Bassekou Kouyaté & Amy Sacko: Traditional Griot Music

Malian ngoni virtuoso Bassekou Kouyaté returns to Rotterdam together with singer Amy Sacko for an intimate concert rooted in the musical traditions of Mali.

Kouyaté is one of the musicians most closely associated with bringing the ngoni, a traditional West African lute, to international stages. By adding strings, amplification and effects, he has developed a distinctive approach in which Malian traditions meet blues and jazz. His career has taken him to festivals including Glastonbury, Roskilde, Fuji Rock, North Sea Jazz and WOMAD.

For this concert, Kouyaté returns to the music that shaped him. Together with his wife Amy Sacko, he revisits music connected to his parents and Mali’s griot tradition, reducing the format to ngoni and voice. The smaller setting puts the focus on the dialogue between Kouyaté’s playing and Sacko’s vocals, giving the concert an almost chamber-music character.

Kouyaté has previously worked with artists including Ali Farka Touré, Toumani Diabaté and Damon Albarn, while his performances have helped introduce the ngoni to audiences far beyond West Africa.

Details

Event: Bassekou Kouyaté & Amy Sacko: Traditional Griot Music
Date: Thursday 15 April 2027
Start: 20:30
Location: LantarenVenster, Rotterdam
Tickets: €25, including €3 service costs
Genre: Malian music, griot music, blues and world music
Seating: Seated concert with free choice of seats

Line-up

Bassekou Kouyaté: ngoni
Amy Sacko: vocals