Lassine Kouyate is the West African Mande roots-meets-American folk rock project of Georgia-based Americana and folk singer/songwriter Adam Klein. The project has opened for Vieux Farka Toure, Toubab Krewe, The Wailers, and The Ragbirds, and has performed at AthFest, SLINGSHOT Festival, Georgia Theatre, Terminal West, The Foundry, and Sandy Springs International Music Festival, among other venues.
The band presents songs in the Bambara language with social messaging about Mali, its development, and local poverty issues, along with a number of English songs connected by a common lyrical theme. Klein lived in Mali from 2002-2004 as a Peace Corps Volunteer, and returned to make an album and an accompanying (as yet unreleased) documentary film.
Lassine Kouyate has one released album, Dugu Wolo, recorded in Bamako, Mali, featuring an all-star cast of Malian musicians performing a range of Mande instrumentation including kora, ngoni, calabash, Mande-guitar stylings, and djeliya (praise singing).
Press for "Dugu Wolo":
“Klein, while singing in Bambara, sounds natural, comfortable. He sounds like who he is: an American deeply steeped in West African music… [Dugu Wolo is] a bridge between two worlds.”- Scott Stevens, SoundRoots
“Anyone interested in the guitar and blues sounds of Boubacar Traore, Lobi Traore, Ali Farka Toure, Salif Keita, and Toumani Diabate, among others, will find joy and solace in this amazing collection of songs”- Matthew Forst, Inside World Music
“A beautiful combination of blues, jazz, and acoustic folk with traditional Mandinka music… Dugu Wolo is a piece of music art. “-Johan Schoenmakers, Altcountryforum
“Dugu Wolo… is the highest of concepts, total anthropology, not just wearing the clothes of another culture, but learning to sew the garments as well.”- Andre Gallant, Athens Banner Herald
“His music crosses boundaries… Dugu Wolo is a satisfying album that will be enjoyed by fans of Malian blues.”-Angel Romero, World Music Central
