​Balla Kouyaté and Mike Block have been collaborating since 2008, bonding over their shared interest in music from across the world, and their commitment to innovating on their instruments. 

Balla Kouyate, a balafon player and singer coming out of the Djeli tradition of Mali, was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship from the NEA.

Mike Block is an American cellist/singer/composer, and a Grammy Award-winning musician with the Silkroad Ensemble originally trained in Western Classical music.