Mamady Kouyate's MANDINGO AMBASSADORS

Mamady Kouyate is one of Guinea's better-known guitarists and the heir to a long line of griots. Taught by his father, who pioneered the introduction of the guitar to Guinean griot music, Mamady first made his mark as an electric guitarist in the 1970s within national bands during the Authenticité movement. He later spent years touring with Guinea’s most famous musical export, Bembeya Jazz. After relocating to the United States in the early 2000s, he founded the Mandingo Ambassadors. This ensemble serves as a vehicle for his original compositions, reviving the classic 1970s sound of Guinea's legendary Sylliphone recordings with dazzling vocal and guitar patterns over a tight rhythm section.