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CD Review
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Short and Sweet NYC, CD Review >>
Bassekou Kouyate, often called the Prince of Strings, has defined and redefined the way the world sees and hears the ngoni, a string instrument made of wood, animal skins pulled taut, and assorted filament. The progenitor of the American banjo, the shape and expression of the ngoni is familiar to Kouyate who has played the instrument since age 12; his heritage being that of the griots, notable musicians and storytellers of West African communities.
In the 1980s, a teen-aged Bassekou Kouyate challenged tradition and literally elevated the on-stage presence of the ngoni when he raised a strap over his shoulder, boldly stood up, and walked forward, front and center. Conventional musicians questioned Kouyate's decision to place the ngoni at the focus of musical performance by standing up, a mode of playing previously reserved for acoustic and electric guitars. One spark led to another and soon Kouyate formed Ngoni Ba, a quartet of the eponymous instrument.
In their latest album, I Speak Fula, Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba craft twelve musical tracks that display instrumental versatility and technical dexterity. From the dizzying plucks of "Musow," an homage to women, to the deliberate undulations of the ngoni in "Falani," Kouyate's latest release layers tradition with modernity. In "Jamana Be Diya," the illustrative voices of Kasse Mady Diabate and Toumani Diabate weave a narrative of unity and harmony with lyrics like, "Let's all be as one. Can't you see that Americans united to vote Obama into power? If we join hands, our country will go forward." Years later, in the same way he elevated the ngoni, Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba's I Speak Fula is bridging gaps and raising a generation of acceptance, openness, and compassion.
03/24/10 >> go there
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