Habib Koité

Infobox musical artist
Name = Habib Koité


Img_capt = Photo by Tom Beetz
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Background = solo_singer
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Born = 1958
Mali
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Instrument = Guitar, Vocals
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Occupation = Musician, Songwriter
Years_active = 1995 - present
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Associated_acts = Bamada
URL =
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Habib Koité (b. 1958 in Mali) is an internationally-known Malian musician who sings and plays the guitar. His supporting cast, Bamada, is a super-group of West African talent, including Kélétigui Diabaté playing balafon.

Musical style

Koité is known primarily for his unique approach to playing the guitar by tuning it on a pentatonic scale and playing on open strings as one would on a kamale n'goni. Other pieces of his music sound more like the blues or flamenco which are two styles he learned under Khalilou Traore.

Koité's vocal style is intimate and relaxed, emphasizing calm, moody singing rather than operatic technical prowess. Members of Bamada play talking drum, guitar, bass, drum set, harmonica, violin, calabasa, and kora. Koité composes and arranges all songs, singing in English, French, and Bambara.

History

Koité was born in 1958 to musical parents, whom he learned instrumentation from by watching and listening. He joined the Bamako National Institute of Arts and became a conductor in 1978 after only six months of playing. He graduated in 1982, and formed his band Bamada in 1988. The name "Bamada" is a nickname for residents of Mali's capital city Bamako, and the word roughly translates as "In the mouth of the crocodile." Other members of the band were friends of Koité's from childhood.

One of Koité's best known songs, "Cigarette Abana" (No more cigarettes), was first recorded in 1991. A new Latin-style version on his later CD "Baro", along with the song "Nanalé", won Koite the Radio France International Discoveries Prize in 1992. After this recognition, Koité was able to launch his first tour outside of Africa in 1994. He met his manager the next year, and released his first album, "Muso Ko" which rose to #3 on the European World Music Charts. Two tracks from "Muso Ko", "I Ka Barra", and "Din Din Wo" were included with Microsoft Windows Vista, meaning that his music will be installed on many millions of PCs. His follow-up album, "Ma Ya", also did very well.

"Ma Ya" was re-distributed through the Putumayo World Music label, increasing his exposure in the United States, and his next album, "Baro", was distributed through them as well. Koité became one of Mali's most successful musicians internationally. He has performed and recorded with Eric Bibb and Bonnie Raitt, among other Western musicians. Raitt also invited Koité to record with her on her latest album Silver Lining. Many of his songs have been featured on various Putumayo compilations, such as "Blues Around The World" and "Mali".

Habib and Bamada were on stage at the African Roots and Shoots Festival at London's Barbican in 2000 and have also performed at many other international festivals. Later in 2000, Habib was part of the "Voices of Mali" tour in U.S. and Canada. In 2004 and again in 2005, Habib and the Band toured across the country to enthusiastic audiences. He played a single benefit performance in Providence, Rhode Island in December, 2005. Bamada is currently touring internationally in support of their latest album, "Afriki".

Discography

Albums

* "Muso ko", 1995
* "Ma Ya", 1999
* "Baro", 2001
* "Live!", 2004
* "Afriki", 2007

Sources

* [http://www.habibkoite.com/ Habib Koité Homepage]
* [http://www.africanmusiciansprofiles.com/habib.htm Artist Profile]
* [http://www.putumayo.com/artist_info.php?artist_id=00001 Putumayo biography]
* [http://www.putumayo.com/cd_artists/habib_koite_baro.html Putumayo description of "Baro"] with accompanying biographical information
* [http://www.mali-music.com/Cat/CatH/HabibKoite.htm Biography at Mali-music]

External links

* [http://www.filbert.com/pvfs/LousReviews/0501.htm Review of Habib Koite and Bamada in Concert]

Persondata
NAME=Koité, Habib
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Malian musician
DATE OF BIRTH=1958
PLACE OF BIRTH=Khassonké, Mali
DATE OF DEATH=living
PLACE OF DEATH=