Baba Commandant and The Mandingo Band, hailing from the Republic of Burkina-Faso, are returning to the USA after a legendary first American tour in the spring of 2023

With their trademark fusion of Mandingue and afro-beat styles, Baba Commandant and The Mandingo Band are one of the most original and propulsive musical statements to come from the contemporary West African cultural juggernaut. The band features the legendary guitar pyrotechnics of Issouf Diabate, truly one of the greatest West African guitarists of the last forty years. The band is completed by a near bottomless barrel of artistry from the Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso musical talent pool. On bass guitar, Wendeyida Ouedraogo and on drums Abbas (Doudou) Kabore. Leading the charge again is the captain himself, Mamadou Sanou on the Doso Ngoni featuring one of the most distinctive voices of the modern era. The opposite of the banal trends of auto-tune that have pervaded most of West African popular music, Baba’s voice still impresses with its gravel and grit, showcasing a range that is ancient and defiant in equal measure.