Habib Koité
Habib Koité (* 1958 in Thies, Senegal ) is a Malian musician who lives in Bamako, the capital of Mali. He is a well-known musician, guitarist and singer. With his group Bamada, which he founded in 1988 together with long-time musical companions, he gave numerous concerts around the world.
Curriculum vitae
Habib Koité comes from a Kassonké Griot family. His father worked on the railroad (Line Dakar, Senegal to Bamako, Mali) and the family moved in 1959 to Kayes (Mali). Habib Koité grew up in a very large family approach (17 siblings), in which the use of music and various instruments was quite natural. From his grandfather is reported that he had mastered masterfully Donso ngoni, a traditional hunters played, also called " bush harp " instrument called. Koité himself describes it so that the parents and siblings played guitar and he also tried his hand on this instrument and it learned gradually to play by themselves. His mother, who sang as griotte at numerous festivals, he often accompanied on the guitar.
An uncle noticed the boy why he started strongly for the extraordinary talent that Habib not, as originally intended, an engineering study began, but studied music at the Institut National des Arts ( INA) in Bamako. In 1982 he completed his studies there and afterwards remained for many years as a guitar teacher at the college.
Musical development
On his musical path Habib Koité had early opportunity to play with many sizes together his country, including Toumani Diabaté, Khalilou Traoré (brother of Boubacar Traoré ) or Kélétigui Diabaté, who belonged until 2009 to his group Bamada.
This group was founded in 1988 Koité first appearing in clubs. In 1991 he had his first international success by winning the first prize of Voxpole festival in Perpignan (France). He then took up the anti-smoking Cigarette Song a bana, with whom he became popular throughout West Africa. Another prize, at Radio France International, furthered his international career and he could take a first tour outside of Africa. In 1995, the group took the first album, Muso Ko ( "woman" ), on which was an immediate success in the European world music scene. The second, recorded 1998 album Ma Ya ( " human being") he was able to successfully establish itself in the U.S. as a musician. He worked among others with Eric Bibb and Bonnie Raitt together. Followed in 2001 by the equally successful album Baro ( chat ). Habib Koité and Bamada were now regularly all over the world on tour. 2003 originated from recordings of these concerts the live album Foly around the World, followed by the now last studio album Afriki (2007).
Musical Style
Many musicians from the multiethnic state of Mali are committed to a particular ethnic musical tradition. In contrast, Habib Koité has always been interested in the different styles and integrates them in his songs. There are also elements of flamenco and reggae. However, it is him also a concern to preserve endangered musical traditions. On the album " Afriki " you get to hear traditional Hornblower in the piece Nta Dima, a form of music that is rarely played by young men. The music critics called Habib Koités style like as a " hypnotic soundscape ", on which his warm voice can unfold. Much attention is also Habib Koités virtuoso guitar playing.
Musical projects
Again and again we hear of unrest in northern Mali. The local Tuareg population feels discriminated and is struggling with the idea of putting the nation-state boundaries. For many Malians in the south, however, the Tuareg bandits and smugglers. More than once have brought to the brink of civil war such conflicts Mali. In his song " Fatma " (1995, on the album " Muso Ko" ) can Habib Koité a young man in search of his dream girl roam the country. In the north of the country he finally finds the Dreamed: Fatma. The idea behind the song is that we are a country. In this spirit, eventually gave rise to the project Desert Blues, for Habib Koité & Bamada, the Touareg group Tartit and Afel Bocoum and his group Alkibar came together for various performances. This project motivated the French filmmaker Michel Jaffrenou 2006 on the film Jusqu'à Tombouctou ( German: " Desert Blues "), which takes you on a musical journey through Mali and portrays the three Desert blues groups. Also in collaboration with Michel Jaffrenou Kirina, a Manding opera that came in the summer of 2008, in Nice for performance was born.