Saturday 23rd May 2026 (Door Open) 19:30pm (Start time)20:00
Chidham Hambrook Village Hall

"Ngoni virtuoso Bassekou Kouyate can make notes bend like light rays in the desert heat." - Time Out magazine

Bassekou Kouyate is one of the true masters of the ngoni, an ancient traditional lute found throughout West Africa. He is a virtuoso, innovator, stronghold of tradition all at the same time. This is a rare opportunity to see and hear one of Africa’s most celebrated musicians in a very intimate environment. This WemsFest show is presented in association with our friends African Night Fever.

From Mali, legendary musician and ngoni master Bassekou Kouyate tours the UK for the first time as a duo with his wife, the revered griot singer and exceptional vocalist Amy Sacko, whose “voice of spearing urgency, improbable range” has “a power that jolts like electric shocks” (The Sydney Morning Herald). After the release of Djudjon, L’Oiseau de Garana (2024) their first chart-topping album together as a duo which connects past and present, this will be a unique, intimate and extraordinary opportunity to experience a performance that reaches to the very heart of Mali – deeply personal, expressive, chamber-style that promises a rare closeness between artists and audience, a space where each note and lyric resonates deeply.

“a genius and living proof that the blues comes from Mali” – Taj Mahal on Bassekou Kouyate

“the Tina Turner of Mali” – MOJO on Amy Sacko

Bassekou has collaborated with many musicians in and outside of Mali: He has shared the stages with the likes of Youssou N‘Dour, Ali Farka Toure, Bela Fleck, The Kronos Quartet, Taj Mahal, Eliades Ochoa, Damon Albarn, Michael League… He was one of the key musicians on Ali Farka Toure’s posthumous album ‘Savane’ which was released July 2006, played in the Symmetric trio alongside Toumani Diabate (kora) and was part of Taj Mahal’s ‘Kulanjan’ project. He won several BBC Awards for his celebrated debut album ‘Segu Blue’ (Outhere Records). Was Grammy nominated for the follow up ‘I speak fula’ (Outhere Records) and played hundreds of concerts all over the globe, sharing the stage with musicians from Paul McCartney to John Paul Jones, Bono & many many others …

Location
Chidham Hambrook Village Hall, PO18 8TP