Habib Koite
Habib Koite — the superstar Malian singer/songwriter/guitarist who Billboard hailed as “one of the most gifted and compelling performers on the contemporary Afropop scene” — comes from a noble line of KhassonkÉ griots (musical storytellers). He inherited a passion for music, unique guitar style and storytelling tradition from his parents and grandfather. Recognizing his musical talent, his family enrolled him at the National Institute of Arts in Bamako, Mali, where he had the opportunity to perform with KÉlÉtigui DiabatÉ, Mali’s king of the balafon (a West African wooden-keyed xylophone), and Toumani DiabatÉ, among many recognized Malian artists.
BAMADA
In 1988, he formed his own group, Bamada (a nickname for residents of Bamako that roughly translates, “in the mouth of the crocodile), with young Malian musicians who had been friends since childhood. The group’s single, “Cigarette a Baba” — which was financed by the first prize award at the 1991 Voxpole Festival in Perpignan, France — was a runaway hit throughout West Africa and continuous to be one of his most well known recordings.
RECORDINGS
Another prestigious award, the Radio France International Discoveries prize, made it possible for the group to undertake their first tour outside of Africa in 1994. Since that year (and the release of their first CD, “Muso Ko,” which quickly reached #3 in the European World Music Charts), Habib became a fixture on the European festival circuit and began to spread his infectious music and high energy shows around the world.
Habib’s second album, “Ma Ya,” was released in Europe in 1998 to widespread acclaim, spending three months at the top of the World Charts Europe. Putomayo World Music released the album in North America the following year, which quickly helped establish Habib as one of world music’s most exciting new figures. In February 1999, in support of the CD’s US debut, Habib and blues artist Eric Bibb were featured on Putomayo’s Mali to Memphis tour, educating audiences across the country about the connections between the blues and Malian music.
The critical and commercial response was tremendous: Habib was featured in People, Rolling Stone and on the cover of Rhythm magazine. He also appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered, WXPN’s World CafÉ, PRI’s The World and the House of Blues radio hour. “Ma Ya” spent an unprecedented 20 weeks in the Top 20 of the College Music Journal New World music chart and broke new ground at AAA rock radio, spending several months in regular rotation on commercial stations across the country.
The 2001 release of “Baro” continued where “Ma Ya” left off, with a set of haunting melodies and virtuoso guitar playing. Backed by KÉlÉtigui DiabetÉ and the rest of the talented members of Bamada, the CD swings from the Cuban-influenced grooves of “Batoumanbe” to the ethereal and entrancing “Sinamaw.” The acoustic, unadorned arrangements reflect centuries of Malian tradition, while incorporating subtle Western influences to create songs that appeal to people from all walks of life.
In 2003, Contre-Jour released a double live CD, “Foly!” featuring 18 cuts culled from performances through Bamada’s 2002 world tour. The CD captures some of Habib’s most popular hits, reinvented with new guitar, percussion and balafon breaks that were born during on-stage jam sessions. Afropop worldwide editor, Banning Eyre, said, “This may be the most satisfying live CD an African band has ever recorded.”
UNIQUE STYLE
Habib’s artistry and powerful personality earned him the adoration of fans such as Jackson Brown and Bonnie Raitt (who collaborated with Habib on here 2001 “Silver Lining” CD), both of whom have supported Habib’s music, by promoting private events designed to attract new audiences and performing with Habib on stage.
Habib is known for his unique approach to playing the guitar; He tunes his instrument to the pentatonic scale and plays on open strings as one would on a kamala n’goni. At other times, he plays music that sounds closer to flamenco or the blues, two styles he studied under Khalilou TraorÉ, a veteran of the legendary Afro-Cuban band Maravillas du Mali.
Bringing together different styles from Mali’s rich and diverse musical traditions, Habib has created a new pan-Malian approach that reflects his open-minded interest in all types of music. “Usually, Malian musicians play only their own ethnic music,” says Habib. “But me, I go everywhere. My job is to take all these traditions and to make something with them, to use them in my music.”
With one foot in the past and the other in the future, Habib KoitÉ is an artist for a generation that has witnessed the breaking down of cultural barriers. While he respects and treasures the music of his ancestors, Habib also envisions a day when village chiefs will communicate with the world from their grass-thatched huts via computer. Habib’s music proves that we do not have to forsake the past in order to develop the future. The modern world, for all its benefits, he says, needs to keep its links to the folklore, mythology and history of the people in order for it to retain its soul.
