Malian minstrel comes to the Barclay
Christine Carrillo
Taking his cue from his family, Habib Koite liberated the musical
talent laying dormant within him and jumped into a world of popular
rhythms that has since given him universal notoriety.
Incorporating the musical sounds of his Malian heritage with
musical influences he’s acquired during his travels, Koite,
accompanied by his band Bamada, creates a distinctive sound that
blends jazz and blues rhythms with a contemporary West African guitar
styling that softly serenades audiences around the world.
And on Thursday, the guitar virtuoso’s beats will resonate within
the walls at Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, giving Orange County
residents a chance to experience his infectious style.
Koite, who has been referred to as one of the greatest new voices
in African music and one of Mali’s most exciting artists, will be
performing in various theaters, clubs and performing arts venues in
the United States and across North American as part of his 2003 tour.
It is through such tours and travels that he has been able to
create such an idiosyncratic style.
By combining the diverse musical traditions of his Malian homeland
with his cosmopolitan life experiences, Koite has continued to
embrace cultural sounds and incorporate ethnic beats into his music.
“I can get some influence ... from everywhere in the world,” he
said. “My music can evolve when I don’t stay in the same place all
the time.”
Some influences are a little more difficult to incorporate. Koite
has found that Latin rhythms were the easiest to work with.
In his most recent album, “Baro,” Koite took traditional melodies
and guitar stylings and mixed them with Cuban influenced grooves.
But blending sounds of cultures aside from his own has been only
one of the steps Koite has taken to place himself in a category all
his own.
Koite, who has made fans of such artists as Bonnie Raitt, Joan
Baez and Jackson Browne, has managed to create new rhythms within his
own culture, as well.
Taking the traditional guitar stylings of Mali, which are called
danssa, and adding the word doso to describe his new style, danssa
doso, which incorporates Mali’s popular rhythms with it’s most
powerful and ancient musical traditions.
Now considered a world-class guitarist, Koite has revealed a
connection between blues and Malian music that has mustered universal
acclaim.
“It’s a big honor for me, and I’m very happy to play everywhere in
the world. ... It’s a big gift for me,” Koite said. “I like to play
on stage for the people and now I play everywhere for the people.
That is so wonderful for me.”
Tickets for the performance, which is scheduled for 8 p.m., are
$24 and $28. The theater is at 4242 Campus Drive in Irvine.
For more information, call (949) 854-4646 or visit
www.thebarclay.org.
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.