HABIB KOITÉ & BAMADA
“His reputation as a guitar player has become almost mythical, combining rock and classical techniques with Malian tunings that make the guitar sound like a kora or ngoni. After Bonnie Raitt heard him play once she was quoted as saying, 'I would drink your sweat.'”
– New York Times
ABOUT
Few African artists have received the sales and media exposure of Habib Koité. Called "Mali's biggest pop star" by Rolling Stone (in an infamous article in which Bonnie Raitt compared Habib to Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn), Habib has also received raves from widely-read publications such as People, Entertainment Weekly and the New York Times. Habib graced a 2-page photo spread in the pages of Vanity Fair magazine.
As with many craftsmen, Habib is a perfectionist, and spends a great deal of time composing and arranging his material. Habib draws on styles from the different regions of Mali, rather than solely on the music of his particular area as most Malian musicians do. Habib has gained a strong fan base by integrating the rock and folk sounds of the Western world, without watering down his cherished Malian roots.
