Balla Kouyaté & Mike Block Duo - Vero Beach International Music Festival

Co-presented with the Community Church of Vero Beach

Djékady offers a blend of West African and American music, drawing danceable rhythms and energetic textures between each instrument. Balla Kouyaté and Mike Block met through their work with the Silkroad Ensemble and quickly connected over their love for cross-cultural collaboration. Kouyaté has a deep appreciation for the legacy and culture of his traditional music, but wants to make music without limitations or boundaries. He found a simpatico relationship with Block. “Balla’s joy and unbridled enthusiasm is infectious,” Block says, smiling. “There is so much trust between us,” offers Kouyaté. “We treat each other like brothers.”