Habib Koite

Habib Koite And Bamada
Muso Ko
Alula (www.alula.com)

Guitarist Habib Koite is from Mali, but this rising star represents the contemporary sound of African pop. His first album, which is now being re-released here, is mostly made up of upbeat songs that electrify a variety of regional styles. The accompanying translated lyrics show Koite to be a songwriter that takes on weightier subjects than the usual vacuous party fare. The songs don't translate easily, resembling fables at times, but there is no mistaking the message of his hit, "Cigarette A Bana (The Cigarette is Finished)." Koite's brisk, breezy songs layer call-and-response singing over a seamless mix of African percussion and Western instruments. His academic training shows up most notably in his sophisticated arrangements, which continually change textures, keeping his songs as appealing to the head as the feet. - Marty Lipp

photo © 1999 Oliver Gresset

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