Lowell Folk Festival 08

The unique Lowell Folk Festival was on this year again from Jul 25-27. Only one complaint: they have the slowest loading website...ever...for a festival of such importance, this is a crying shame indeed.
The lineup this year did not have any recognizable names, as far as I was concerned, and then I reached only mid-afternoon, so headed straight to the Malian balaphon player, Balla Kouyate, from Medford, Ma no less:

Balla Kouyaté

Malian balafon Medford, Massachusetts Balla Kouyaté, from Mali, is a virtuoso player of an ancient instrument called the balafon, the West African ancestor of the marimba, the xylophone, the vibes, and a host of related instruments. Kouyate’s family roots go back over 800 years to Balla Faséké Kouyaté, the keeper of the Sosso Bala, the first balafon, and the first of an unbroken line of djelis, or griots, in the Kouyaté clan. Djelis are the oral historians, musicians and performers who keep alive and celebrate the history of the Mandé people of Mali, Guinea and other West African countries. Kouyate, now based in Massachusetts, continues this classic tradition, with his brilliant, dazzling instrumental solos and original compositions.

Kouyate is quite a virtuoso, indeed. This is not the first time I have listened to the balaphon...Yaya Diallo provided me the introduction into this xylophone-like instrument...but on this occasion it was the lyricism of his brother on the guitar that added an extra dimension to the balaphone playing. And yes, Kouyate is mighty good on his own too!

We next moved on to Puerto Plata, the El Magnifico Mariachi Ensemble and lastly the Skatalites! As I always like to describe the experience -- a smörgåsbord