Mamar Kassey

It is named after Askia Muhammad I, a legendary warrior who extended the Songhai Empire into the Sahara.

Their sound also incorporates western jazz, Moroccan and Latin music.

An eight-piece group[2] formed by Moumouni and guitarist Abdallah Alhassane in 1995, Mamar Kassey have released two albums internationally and toured Europe and the United States multiple times.

They came to attention in France after an appearance at the Festival des Nuits Atypiques in Langon in 1998.

The collaboration included Breton musicians Pierre-Yves Prothais, Ronan Le Gourierec, Laurent Carré, and Youen Paranthoen playing Breton/Celtic, western jazz, and West African instruments.