Mandingo Ambassadors

Mamady Kouyate and his Mandingo Ambassadors perform every Wednesday. Kouyate is a renowned Guinean guitarist and the heir to a long line of griots, originally taught by his father who pioneered the adaptation of kora and balafon lines for the guitar. After establishing himself in the national bands of the 1970s and touring extensively with Guinea's Bembeya Jazz, Kouyate relocated to the US in the early 2000s. The Mandingo Ambassadors serves as a vehicle for his compositions, reviving the classic 1970s sound of Guinea's legendary Sylliphone recordings. The ensemble features dazzling vocal and guitar patterns over a tight, rhythmic foundation.