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Balla Kouyaté
World - Mali
Balla Kouyaté is considered to be among the greatest balafon players from the *Djeli* or *Griot* tradition in Mali. The Kouyatés were the first Djelis in the Mandé Empire. His instrument, the balafon (ancestor of the xylophone,) was given to Balla's ancestors by nobles in the 13th century and has remained in his family ever since. Balla appears as a guest instrumentalist on many albums including Yo-Yo Ma's latest, and appears on three cuts on the forthcoming release by Angelique Kidjo.