Don't Miss the Album Release Concert with Balla Kouyate, Mike Block & Djékady
On March 1st, Arts at the Armory is honored to welcome Djékady for an electrifying night of rhythm, tradition, and celebration.
This concert is especially meaningful for our community. The two lead artists of Djékady are truly prophets in their own land — world-renowned musicians who also call our neighborhoods home.
Balla Kouyaté, Grammy Award–winning balafon virtuoso, lives nearby in Medford. In addition to his Grammy recognition, Balla has received the prestigious National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)'s National Heritage Fellowship — the highest honor the United States bestows on a traditional artist. He has been the subject of a feature in Rolling Stone, profiled by Eliot Stein for the BBC, and is the focus of the first chapter of Stein’s book Ancient Wonders. Balla is also a member of the acclaimed Silkroad Ensemble, founded by Yo-Yo Ma, bringing global collaborative artistry to stages around the world.
Mike Block, Grammy Award–winning cellist and musical innovator, lives in Somerville. Hailed by Yo-Yo Ma as the “ideal musician of the 21st century,” Mike is a pioneering multi-style cellist, composer, and educator. Like Kouyaté, Block is a long-standing member of the Silkroad Ensemble, and has been described by The New York Times as “breathless… half dance, half dare,” and hailed by Gramophone as “one of the bravest, most intriguing musicians on the American fusion scene.”
In addition to releasing 20 of his own albums that regularly chart near the top of multiple Billboard categories, Block is also an in-demand arranger and collaborator, contributing to recordings and performances with artists including Miley Cyrus, Elton John, Bobby McFerrin, Metallica, and Morrissey, among many others. Beyond the stage, he founded Play For The Vote, organizing musical performances at polling locations across 48 states to encourage civic participation.
These are global artists — collaborators with legends, performers on the world’s most celebrated stages — and yet they are rooted right here. Having them perform at Arts at the Armory is a powerful reminder that extraordinary artists live among us.
We’re also proud to share that this performance is supported by a New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) NEST grant, allowing us to expand the impact of this engagement beyond the stage. As part of this engagement, Balla and Mike will conduct workshops with Somerville High School’s orchestra program, connecting directly with young musicians and sharing their virtuosity, cultural traditions, and lived experience.
Join us in celebrating artists who have carried their artistry across the world — and brought it home.
🎟️ Get your tickets now and be part of this unforgettable evening.
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