BALA-BILA brings together two African master musicians – Balla Kouyate on balafon, calabash, bass guitar and voice, and Matchume Zango on timbila, mbira, percussion and voice – through a live concert framed as an intercultural musical conversation between the two artists. Kouyate, from the West African country of Mali, and Zango, from the East African country of Mozambique, are leading exponents of their respective principal instruments – BALAfon and timBILA – two world heritage instruments that are played together for the first time.

This living-room-style concert features Kouyate and Zango as composers and multi-instrumentalists sharing the joy, beauty and complexity of their music but also provides a unique opportunity for the audience to get to know Kouyate and Zango as human beings, artists, ambassadors, and global citizens as they explore their connection to each other, their art, and their cultural patrimony.

The concert is part of a New England tour being produced by Tertulia.

October 11, Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave, Doors open at 7:00 p.m., show starts at 8:00 p.m. with Boubacar Diabate playing a 20-minute opening set.

Tickets here: BALA BILA featuring Balla Kouyate and Matchume Zango Tickets in Somerville, MA, United States (ticketleap.com)

Both the balafon (representing Mali, Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire) and the timbila (Mozambique) are part of the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (tim-bila is plural, and m-bila is singular). Kouyate and Zango are leading exponents of their respective instruments, and known for preserving, advancing and contemporizing their rich musical traditions.

Balla Kouyate is a renowned balafon player and djeli who is originally from Mali and currently based in the U.S. Kouyate teaches at the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music, is a member of Yo Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project, and is recognized by the U.S. National Endowment for the Arts as an NEA National Heritage Fellow.

Matchume Zango is a master timbila player, percussionist, composer and producer from Maputo, Mozambique. He has a Masters Degree in Music Performance from the University of Cape Town, and has toured extensively throughout the world, collaborating with local and international artists. Zango has received funding support from international donor agencies, and has built Nzango Artist Residency, a recording studio and artist residency located in Maputo where he collaborates with local and visiting artists.