Baye Kouyate

Artist Description

“Baye's performances are highly energized explosions of lightning-fast talking drum solos backed by an upbeat dance band."
-Afropop.org

"Kouyate's music is polyrhythmic and joyful, enhanced with generous splashes of, jazz, Latin, and reggae grooves. It's hypnotic and infectious. Kouyate is a master at the talking drum, an hourglass-shaped instrument bound with a goatskin head and strings along its side. While striking the head, the player simultaneously squeezes the strings to change the instrument's pitch like a rhythmic voice."
-Rochester City News            

 "I love to be someone who can transmit the history of the world with my drum."
-Baye Kouyate
     

Malian Talking Drum Master, Baye Kouyate is known for inspiring audiences with his energetic concerts.  His performances are a  journey through a world of highly complex polyrhythms fusing traditional sounds of Mali with influences such as jazz, reggae, and latin grooves all performed by a highly spirited crew of musicians.            

Originally from Bamako, Mali, Baye Kouyate descends from an 800-year old lineage of Griots.  A peacemaker, historian and praise singer, he is one of those old souls: wise and blessed with a culturally diverse perspective, bubbling over with natural enthusiasm and creative energies that strongly suggest he's been this way before; someone deeply in touch with the spiritual essences.
Recently, Baye has just returned from astounding audiences at the Rochester Jazz Festival as well as has shared the stage with well known artists such as Amadou et Mariam, Angelique Kidjo, Regina Carter, Cheick Tidiane Seck, and Vieux Farka Toure.