On the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis at the Florissant Road/University Boulevard exit of Interstate 70 (Exit 240). Saint Louis, Missouri
Bassekou Kouyate is one of the true masters of the ngoni, an ancient traditional lute found throughout West Africa. The ngoni is one of Africa's secrets still to be discovered. It is the key instrument for the griot culture. Unlike the kora whose history goes back only a few hundred years, the ngoni has been the main instrument in griot storytelling going back to the 13th century during the days of Soundiata Keita, the founder of the Mali Empire.