Benkan
Release Date: October 17, 2025
Tracks:
Koromanti # 1 / Primpin
Democracy
Farewell to America
Diaraby
Shove the Pig’s Foot a Little Further Into The Fire
Bani
This Land is Your Land
Gansan
Tune for Tunde
Zidomal
This Must Be the Place
Toumamasi
About
Benkan is the debut album from Djékady, a six-piece ensemble led by Grammy-winning musicians Balla Kouyaté, born in Mali, and Mike Block, raised in Kansas, USA. The two met as members of Yo-Yo Ma’s Silkroad Ensemble, and their collaboration has deepened through years of shared musical exploration. They brought together three African and three American musicians: Sekou Dembele (djembe), Idrissa Koné (talking drum, calabash, percussion, vocals), Luke Okerlund (guitar), and Mike Rivard (bass, sintir). Rooted in both West African and American traditions, Djékady expands the possibilities of American music by celebrating the cultural richness shaped by global connections.