Benyoro

In the Bamana language of Mali, Benyoro means meeting place, and that’s exactly what this group is. It’s about the meeting of traditional and modern instruments, Malian and American musicians, and centuries-old songs and modern arrangements. The band members hail from exotic locales such as Mali, Martinique, and Wisconsin, but what brings them together is a shared love, respect, and understanding of the music of Malian jelis (praise musicians), as well as a desire to modernize it. Patrice Blanchard and Andy Algire form the core of the band on bass and drums, respectively. The addition of Idrissa Koné on taman (talking drum) and Luke Quaranta on djembe gives this rhythm section an unstoppable momentum, while kora (West African harp) player Yacouba Sissoko and guitarist Sam Dickey alternate between elegant accompaniments and blistering solos. In Benyoro’s music, the sonorous, stately melodies of traditional jeliya (praise singing) are sped up and reconfigured into infectious grooves, but even in the midst of all the movement, the reflective core of the music remains. With this meeting of meditative tradition and raucous dance music, Benyoro is a celebration of the communal and universal nature of West African music. Started in late 2011, Benyoro has performed at numerous venues and festivals including the U.N. General Assembly, Brooklyn Bowl, City Winery, Joe’s Pub, Barbès, Manifestivus, Rockwood Music Hall, Cameo Gallery, Sullivan Hall, and Shrine. In the process, they have shared billing with artists such as Steel Pulse, Marcus Miller, Orgone, Diblo Dibala, Toubab Krewe, and Barika. "An album full of traditional West African grooves and contemporary Afropop filtered through the grit of New York." - WNYC's Soundcheck