Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba at Roulette
Feb. 17. 8PM. $30-$40.
The West African ngoni looks a little bit like a banjo, and it’s actually believed to be the ancestor of the American banjo. Today’s leading player of the ngoni is Bassekou Kouyate, who leads a band called Ngoni Ba, and who comes from one of the most famous musical families in Mali. Kouyate plays the traditional music for the instrument, but he’s also a 21st century guy, so he’ll amplify it, or even play it like a slide guitar. Bassekou Kouyate and his band Ngoni Ba play on Saturday, Feb. 17, at Roulette in Brooklyn.