MAYER WAKEFIELD applauds Rosamund Pike’s punchy and tragic portrayal of a multi-tasking mother and high court judge
Malian masters in exhilarating form

Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni ba
Subterranea, London
WITH THE demeanour of complete paternal authority over proceedings, Bassekou Kouyate cuts the figure of a tribal elder centre stage — until his wife Amy Sacko sings. The audience gasps at her vocal range and crystalline delivery across ascending scales.
She's very much a focus of this family line-up, with Kouyate's son Madou on bass, Abou Sissoko on medium ngoni, Moctar Kouyate on calabash and Mahamadou Tounkara — the clown in the outfit — on doundoun, yabara and tama.
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