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 introduced the guitar to Guinean griots, Mamady made his mark in the 1970s in national bands as part of the Authenticité movement. After years of touring with the famous Bembeya Jazz, he relocated to the US and founded the Mandingo Ambassadors. The group serves as a vehicle for his music, utilizing the classic 1970s sound of Guinea's legendary Sylliphone recordings. Every Wednesday, the ensemble performs dazzling vocal and guitar patterns over a rhythm section that creates an afrocentric popular sound.