Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba to perform at Glastonbury

Mali's ngoni superstars Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba - "the best rock'n'roll band in the world" according to The Independent - will be returning to the UK to perform at this year's Glastonbury festival (on the West Holts Stage, formerly the Jazz World Stage); it will be their debut performance at the legendary festival. They will also perform in Coventry, Kendal and Dartington, and at London's Barbican Centre.

Bassekou Kouyate who has just picked up a KORA Award for Best African Traditional Artist, has also been nominated in the Best Artist category at the Songlines Music Awards 2010, for the album 'I Speak Fula'. The Songlines Music Awards recognise outstanding talent in world music and are voted by Songlines readers and the general public. The final nominees are the top four in each of the four categories (Best Artist, Best Group, Cross-Cultural Collaboration and Newcomer) from the public vote. One of Bassekou's songs is included on a compilation CD which features tracks from all 16 nominated artists across the four categories. The winners will be announced in the June issue of Songlines, on sale from 30 April.

More info at http://www.songlines.co.uk/music-awards/

Live dates:

29 May - COVENTRY Rhythm Festival
30 May - KENDAL Brewery Arts Centre
26 June - GLASTONBURY festival
26 June - DARTINGTON Home festival
2 July - LONDON Barbican (Blaze festival)