Rokia Koné visits Celtic Connections for the first UK live performance of her debut album Bamanan. The album is a collaboration with Irish-born, California-based rock producer Jacknife Lee.
It’s a voice that soars – pure, clear and true — above bass and synths, traditional percussion and infectious Mande guitar grooves. A stop-you-in-your-tracks voice instantly familiar to anyone in Mali, West Africa: Rokia Koné, aka the Rose of Bamako. One of Mali’s most beloved and dynamic artists, and previously a core member of supergroup Les Amazones d'Afrique, Rokia is a force to be reckoned with.
From the musical heart of West Africa come the Togo All Stars with a captivating performance of their distinctive blend of afrofunk and voodoo rhythms. Renowned for their spectacular live shows, the band promises the chance to experience “the original rhythms of the most funky gods”. For while the music of their ancestors was banned and vilified by slave traders, the chants and beats of voodoo spirituality survived in the musical underground, profoundly influencing jazz, salsa, blues and funk.
Please note: Due to scheduling conflicts, Jacknife Lee will no longer be performing with Rokia Koné.
