Assane Kouyate and Pa Bobo Jobarteh

Assane Kouyate hails from a long family line of griots, the dancing and singing, revered storytellers of West Africa. The family’s lineage starts in Mali and expands to Senegal, West Africa where Kouyate and his twin brother were raised and where they learned their family’s history through song and dance. The Kouyate family is well-known in West Africa and are known as the kings of African culture. As griots, they keep the history of their people alive, traveling and spreading their joyous art with the world. Assane Kouyate has been singing, dancing and performing professionally since the age of thirteen. He has traveled throughout Africa, Europe, and the United States as a lead dancer with the National Ballet of Senegal and artists such as Youssou N’dour, Ami Koita and Baaba Maal. He currently resides in Albuquerque where he teaches at Maple Street Dance Space and performs throughout New Mexico. Master Kora (21 string African lute) player, Pa Bobo Jobarteh was born into one of The Gambia’s most famous Jali families, a family whose musical tradition in West Africa began in the eighteenth century. His father, grandfather and great grandfather were all masters of the kora and he continued the tradition, having begun to play the kora when he was only 6 years old. In 1988, at the age of 11, Jobarteh performed at WOMAD in the UK to large audiences in both Cornwall and Reading and at the same time he formed the Kaira Band with his two younger brothers and his sister with whom he still performs. Currently, Jobarteh makes his home in Oklahoma and continues to perform throughout the U.S., U.K. and Africa. Also appearing tonight will be two regulars on the Albuquerque African music and dance scene: from Mali, Bekaye Kouyate and Male Fainke.

$17/$12 Members & Students. Available in advance, by phone or in person, at the Outpost Performance Space (268-0044)