Good times for a good cause

Here's an upcoming event worth putting on your calendar:

Malian guitarist Habib Koité and his band Bamada return to North America this spring with an 11-city tour, marking the first opportunity for this legendary African music figure to perform songs from his most recent and critically acclaimed album Afriki. On Wednesday, May 7th Habib Koité and Bamada perform in Providence, RI in a special concert to benefit the GAIA Vaccine Foundation at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel.  GAIA Vaccine Foundation is a Providence-based 501c3 that is promoting the development of a globally relevant HIV vaccine and global access to HIV care. GAIA supports a state-of the art HIV care program in Bamako, Mali, Habib Koite's home town. All proceeds from this concert will go to stopping AIDS in Africa. See http://www.GAIAVaccine.org

for more information.

 

Afriki was released by Cumbancha last fall and features an alluring set of songs that reflect Habib’s unique and innovative approach to the diverse styles of Malian music. Years in the making and recorded on three continents, Afriki finds Habib exploring some new musical directions. The overarching theme of Afriki, which means “Africa” in the Malian Bambara language, is about the strengths and challenges of the African continent. For example, James Brown veteran Pee Wee Ellis arranged horns on the song “Africa,” which calls upon Africans to take responsibility for their own future and not depend on the outside world.

 

Habib’s artistry draws on styles from the different regions of Mali, rather than solely on the music of his particular area as most Malian musicians do. He has gained a strong fan base by integrating the rock and folk sounds of the Western world, without watering down his cherished Malian roots. Habib descends from a line of griots, traditional troubadors who provide wit, wisdom and entertainment to the pubic. Taking this role to the world at large, his charisma and magnetism translates easily across cultural divides.