National Geographic Music (National Geographic)

Malian ngoni master Bassekou Kouyate kicks off his North American tour in support of his new release I Speak Fula (Best Ambience/ SubPop) later this week.

Kouyate's sound is a unique fusion of contemporary jazz, blues, rock, bluegrass, and pop influences with Afro-beat and the centuries-old musical traditions of the griots of Mali.

Together with his band Ngoni Ba, Kouyate will bring that sound to audiences in cities across the U.S. and Canada - including two appearances at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, B.C.

For much of the tour Kouyate will support the legendary Bela Fleck and his Africa Project - coming hot off two recent GRAMMY wins for his exploration of the African origins of the banjo.

Bassekou Kouyate 2010 Tour Dates:

02/05/2010, Fri
Aspen, CO Wheeler Opera House, 320 E. Hyman Ave.
Tix: $60; $50; $40, Show: 8 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 970.920.5770.

02/06/2010, Sat
Grand Junction, CO Avalon Theater, 645 Main St.
Tix: $35, Doors Open: 6:30 pm, Show: 7:30 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 970.243.8497

02/08/2010, Mon
Boulder, CO Boulder Theatre, 2032 14th Street
Tix: $30, Show: 7:30 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 303.786.7030. Ages 21+ only.

02/10/2010, Wed
Dallas, TX Granada Theatre, 3524 Greenville Ave
Tix: $40/25, Show: 7:00 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 214.824.9933.

02/11/2010, Thu
Oxford, MS Lyric Theatre, 100 University Ave.
Tix: $50/25, Doors Open: 7:00 pm, Show: 8:00 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 662.915.2787. Ages 18+ only.

02/12/2010, Fri
Murray, KY Lovett Auditorium - Murray State University, 1401 State Route 121 North
Tix: $34; $24, Show: 8:00 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck).

02/13/2010, Sat
Lawrence, KS Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts Ave.
Tix: $56/40.50/35, Show: 8:00 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 785-749-1972.

02/14/2010, Sun
Urbana, IL Canopy Club, 708 S. Goodwin Ave.
Tix: $25, Show: 8:00 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 217.244.BAND. Ages 18+ only.

02/16/2010, Tue
Oberlin, OH Oberlin's Finney Chapel, 173 West Lorain Street
Show: 8:00 pm
w/The Africa Project (Bela Fleck).

02/17/2010, Wed
Ann Arbor, MI University of Michigan-Hill Auditorium, 825 N University Ave.
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck).

02/18/2010, Thu
Athens, OH Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium
Tix: $18/23/25, Show: 7:30 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 740.593.1762.

02/19/2010, Fri
Indianapolis, IN Butler University/Clowes Hall, 4602 Sunset Ave.
Tix: $40-25, Show: 8:00 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 317.940.6444.

02/20/2010, Sat
Omaha, NE Holland PAC
Tix: $49, Show: 8:00 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck).

02/21/2010, Sun
Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N Lincoln Ave.
Tix: $41-45, Show: 5:00 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck).

02/22/2010, Mon
Hamilton, OH Miami University-Parrish Auditorium , 1601 University Blvd.
Tix: $26, Show: 7:30 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 513.785.3157

02/24/2010, Wed
Wilmington, DE Grand Opera House, 818 N Market St.
Tix: $47/40/33, Show: 8:00 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 302.658.7897.

02/25/2010, Thu
Storrs, CT U Conn-Storrs/Jorgenson Center for Performing Arts, 2132 Hillside Rd. Unit 3104
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 860.486.4226.

02/26/2010, Fri
Waterville, ME Opera House, 93 Main Street Third Floor
Ph: 207 873-7000. w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck).

02/27/2010, Sat
Lewisburg, PA Bucknell University-Weis Center
Tix: $35-10, Show: 8:00 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck).

03/01/2010, Mon
Ottawa, ON
Canada CND Dominion-Chalmers United Church, 355 Cooper St.
Tix: $53.75, Show: 8:00 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck).

03/02/2010, Tue
Brunswick, ME Bowdoin College
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck).

03/03/2010, Wed
State College, PA Eisenhower Auditorium
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 814.863.0255.

03/04/2010, Thu
Roanoke, VA Jefferson Center, 541 Luck Ave. SW
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 540.345.2550.

03/05/2010, Fri
Frederick, MD Weinberg Center, 20 W Patrick St
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 301.600.2828. With Béla Fleck.

03/06/2010, Sat
Atlanta, GA Rialto Center, 80 Forsyth St. NW
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 404.413.9TIX.

03/08/2010, Mon
Orlando, FL Plaza Theater, 425 North Bumby Ave.
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 407.228.1220 Toll Free: 888.2.GET.TIX

03/09/2010, Tue
Fort Pierce, FL Sunrise Theatre, 117 S 2nd St.
Tix: $39/35, Show: 7:00 pm
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 772.461.4775

03/10/2010, Wed
Jacksonville, FL Florida Theater, 128 E Forsyth St # 300
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: 904.355.2787

03/11/2010, Thu
Tuscaloosa, AL BAMA Theater
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck).

03/12/2010, Fri
Asheville, NC Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave
w/ The Africa Project (Bela Fleck). Ph: (828) 225-5851

03/14/2010, Sun
Vancouver, BC
Canada Vancouver Olympics

03/15/2010, Mon
Whistler, BC
Canada Vancouver Olympics

03/16/2010, Tue
Seattle, WA The Triple Door, 216 Union Street
Ph: 206.838.4333.

03/17/2010, Wed
Portland, OR Berbati's Pan, 19 SW 2nd Avenue
Ph: 503.226.2122

03/18/2010, Thu
San Francisco, CA Slims, 333 11th Street
Tix: $20/25, Doors Open: 7:30 pm, Show: 8:00 pm
Ph: 415.255.0333

03/19/2010, Fri
Santa Cruz, CA
Rio Theater, 1205 Soquel Ave.
Ph: 831.423.8209

03/20/2010, Sat
Los Angeles, CA Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Dr.
Ph: 310.440.6810

03/21/2010, Sun
Los Angeles, CA Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Dr.
Ph: 310.440.6810

03/24/2010, Wed
Troy, NY Sanctuary for Independent Media, 3361 6th Avenue
Ph: 518.272.2390

03/26/2010, Fri
New York, NY Zankel Hall (at Carnegie Hall), 154 W 57th St
Ph: 212.903.9629

03/27/2010, Sat
Somerville, MA Somerville Theater , 55 Davis Square
Ph: 617.625.5700 Tickets

03/28/2010, Sun
Rockland, ME The Strand, 345 Main St.
Ph: 207.594.0070

03/31/2010, Wed
Burlington, VT Flynn Center for the Performing Arts, 153 Main St.
Ph: 802.863.5966

04/01/2010, Thu
Portsmouth, NH Music Hall, 28 Chestnut Street
Tix: $19/25, Show: 7:30 pm
Ph: 603.436.2400

04/02/2010, Fri
Savannah, GA Savannah Music Festival, 200 East St. Julian St.
Ph: 912.525.5050

04/03/2010, Sat
Savannah, GA Savannah Music Festival, 200 East St. Julian Street
Ph: 912.525.5050

04/07/2010, Wed
St. Louis, MO Lee Theatre, Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center, One University Blvd.
Ph: 314.516.4949

04/09/2010, Fri
Minneapolis, MN Venue TBD

04/10/2010, Sat
Minneapolis, MN The Cedar, 416 Cedar Ave. So.
Ph: 612.338.2674

04/15/2010, Thu
Las Cruces, NM
NMSU Music Recital Hall, 1810 East University

04/16/2010, Fri
Albuquerque, NM Outpost Performance Space, 210 Yale SE
Ph: 505.268.0044

04/17/2010, Sat
Austin, TX Stubb's
Tix: $17/15, Doors Open: 10:30 pm, Show: 11:00 pm
Ph: 888.512.7469

04/18/2010, Sun
Houston, TX Houston International Festival

04/22/2010, Thu
Lafayette, LA Festival International, 735 Jefferson Street, Suite 205
Ph: 337.232.8086

04/23/2010, Fri
Lafayette, LA Festival International, 735 Jefferson Street, Suite 205
Ph: 337.232.8086

06/09/2010, Wed
Charleston, SC Spoleto Festival USA, 14 George Street
Tix: $25-40, Show: 9:00 pm
Ph: 843.579.3100

06/17/2010, Thu
New Haven, CT Festival of Arts & Ideas @ Yale Courtyard
Tix: $25, Show: 8 pm
Ph: 203.498.3758