Next Ambiance's Debut Album, Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba's I Speak Fula, Scheduled for Digital Release in North America on December 1st, 2009

SEATTLE, WA -- Sub Pop Records and KEXP radio host Jon Kertzer have come together to form Next Ambiance, a world music imprint. Malian band Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba's I Speak Fula will be the first album out on Next Ambiance, and is scheduled for digital release on iTunes, December 1st, 2009 and for CD release on February 2nd, 2009. The band will embark on their first US tour, opening for nine-time Grammy winner Bela Fleck, in early 2010 in support of the record. Tour dates and more information provided below.

Next Ambiance:
Founded by Jon Kertzer, the host of KEXP's “The Best Ambiance" radio show, a long-running weekly program that focuses on both pop and traditional music from the African continent, Next Ambiance continues the musical exploration, with an emphasis on mind-blowing and life-changing artists with no particular regional or cultural bias.

“I've listened and learned so much from Jon's show ("The Best Ambiance") for half of my life. It just seemed natural to put his knowledge, resources and remarkable taste to further use. It'll certainly be a boon to listeners everywhere," commented Sub Pop Records co-founder, Jonathan Poneman. “Our first release with Bassekou Kouyate and his incredible band Ngoni ba from Mali in West Africa, is the perfect way to begin this new adventure. Their album I Speak Fula captures this truly original music, like nothing you have heard before."

Don't expect many releases from Sub Pop/Next Ambiance initially. After all, it's going to take a particularly brave artist or artists to follow Bassekou. Sub Pop/Next Ambiance will release I Speak Fula throughout North America, Australia and New Zealand.

“I am very excited to be working with Sub Pop on the Next Ambiance imprint to release the best of the world's music, innovative and ground-breaking sounds that follow new paths," stated Kertzer.

Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba:
Malian Bassekou Kouyate made his international debut with the 2007 album Segu Blue. Released by Out Here Records, the album received critical acclaim and won the band the coveted honor of performing on The Jools Holland Show, as well as 2008 BBC 3 nomination for Best Newcomer, going on to win in both the Album of the Year category as well as Best African Act.

Their sophomore effort, I Speak Fula, was released on September 21, 2009, in the UK and, unsurprisingly, received widespread critical acclaim. Known for their riveting live performances, I Speak Fula more effectively conveys the energy and infectious intensity of that experience than the band's first album. In October 2009 Bassekou once again performed on The Jools Holland Show alongside the likes of Yoko Ono and The Dead Weather.

Beginning in early February 2010, Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni ba will share the bill with Bela Fleck for their inaugural tour through the United States.

2010 Tour Dates:
02/02, Tue: Durango, CO Fort Lewis College *With Bela Fleck
02/03, Wed: Santa Fe, NM Lensic Performing Arts Center *With Bela Fleck
02/04, Thu: Fort Collins, CO Aggie Theatre *With Bela Fleck
02/05, Fri: Aspen, CO Wheeler Theatre *With Bela Fleck
02/06, Sat: Grand Junction, CO Avalon Theater *With Bela Fleck
02/08, Mon: Boulder, CO Boulder Theatre *With Bela Fleck
02/10, Wed: Dallas, TX Granada Theatre *With Bela Fleck
02/11, Thu: Oxford, MS Lyric Theatre *With Bela Fleck
02/12, Fri: Murray, UT Murray Theater
02/13, Sat: Lawrence, KS Liberty Hall *With Bela Fleck
02/14, Sun: Urbana, IL Canopy Club *With Bela Fleck
02/16, Tue: Cleveland, OH House of Blues *With Bela Fleck
02/17, Wed: Ann Arbor, MI University of Michigan-Hill Auditorium *With Bela Fleck
02/18, Thu: Athens, OH Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium *With Bela Fleck
02/19, Fri: Indianapolis, IN Butler University/Clowes Hall *With Bela Fleck
02/20, Sat: Omaha, NE Holland PAC *With Bela Fleck
02/21, Sun: Chicago, IL Old Town School of Folk Music *With Bela Fleck
02/22, Mon: Hamilton, OH Miami University-Parrish Auditorium
02/24, Wed: Wilmington, DE Grand Opera House *With Bela Fleck
02/25, Thu: Storrs, CT U Conn-Storrs/Jorgenson Center for Performing Arts *With Bela Fleck
02/26, Fri: Wilmington, DE Grand Opera House *With Bela Fleck
02/27, Sat: Lewisburg, PA Bucknett University-Weis Center *With Bela Fleck
03/01, Mon: Ottawa, ON CND Dominion-Chalmers United Church *With Bela Fleck
03/02, Tue: Brunswick, ME Bowdoin College *With Bela Fleck
03/03, Wed: State College, PA Eisenhower Auditorium *With Bela Fleck
03/04, Thu: Roanoke, VA Jefferson Center *With Bela Fleck
03/05, Fri: Frederick, MD Weinberg Center *With Bela Fleck
03/06, Sat: Atlanta, GA Rialto Center *With Bela Fleck
03/08, Mon: Orlando, FL Plaza Theater
03/09, Tue: Fort Pierce, FL Sunrise Theatre
03/10, Wed: Jacksonville, FL Florida Theater
03/11, Thu: Tuscaloosa, AL BAMA Theater
03/12, Fri: Asheville, NC Orange Peel
03/16, Tue: Seattle, WA The Triple Door
03/18, Thu: San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
03/19, Fri: Santa Cruz, CA Rio Theater
03/20, Sat: Los Angeles, CA Getty Center
03/21, Sun: Los Angeles, CA Getty Center
03/26, Fri: New York, NY Zankel Hall (at Carnegie Hall)
03/27, Sat: Somerville, MA Somerville Theater
03/28, Sun: Rockland, ME The Strand
03/31, Wed: Burlington, VT Flynn Center for the Performing Arts
04/02, Fri: Savannah, GA Savannah Music Festival
04/03, Sat: Savannah, GA Savannah Music Festival
04/07, Wed: St. Louis, MO Lee Theatre, Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center
04/10, Sat: Minneapolis, MN The Cedar
04/15, Thu: Las Cruces, NM NMSU Music Recital Hall

More dates to be announced.

More about Sub Pop Records:
Sub Pop Records was founded in 1988 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. The Seattle-based label was the original home to such legendary bands as Nirvana, Soundgarden and Mudhoney, and has enjoyed more recent successes with such artists as The Postal Service, The Shins, Iron & Wine, Band of Horses, Flight of the Conchords, and Fleet Foxes.

In 2002, Sub Pop came into contact with Minneapolis' De Stijl Records when trying to track down Michael Yonkers, whose Microminiature Love was spinning constantly on office stereos. They entered into a production and distribution agreement with De Stijl that has spawned reissues from Ju Suk Reet Meate (of Smegma,) Ed Askew and 39 Clocks as well as original material from Pens, Jacob Olaussen, King Darves and more.

Sub Pop founded subsidiary label Hardly Art in early 2007. With a smaller staff but no less immodest goals, Hardly Art is able to focus its energies on emerging talent from the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Since its inception, Hardly Art has ushered in acclaimed debuts from The Moondoggies, The Dutchess & the Duke, Le Loup, and more.

Sub Pop is pleased to welcome Next Ambiance to its family of labels. For more information please visit www.subpop.com.