Habib Koité

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Biography

Malian guitarist Habib Koité is one of Africa’s most popular and recognized musicians.

Habib Koité was born in 1958 in Thiès, a Senegalese town situated on the railway line connecting Dakar to the river Niger, where his father worked on the construction of the tracks. Six months after his birth, the Koité family returned to the regional capital of west Mali, Kayes, and then to Bamako. Habib comes from a noble line of Khassonké griots, traditional troubadors who provide wit, wisdom and musical entertainment at social gatherings and special events. Habib grew up surrounded by seventeen brothers and sisters, and developed his unique guitar style accompanying his griot mother. He inherited his passion for music from his paternal grandfather who played the kamele n’goni, a traditional four-stringed instrument associated with hunters from the Wassolou region of Mali. “Nobody really taught me to sing or to play the guitar,” explains Habib, “I watched my parents, and it washed off on me.”

Habib was headed for a career as an engineer, but on the insistence of his uncle, who recognized Habib’s musical talent, he enrolled at the National Institute of Arts (INA) in Bamako, Mali. In 1978, after only six months, he was made conductor of INA Star, the school’s prestigious band. He studied music for four years, graduating at the top of his class in 1982. (In fact his talent was so impressive, that upon graduation, the INA hired him as a guitar teacher).
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  • IGISAS

    Vista系统里听到的。

    21 May 2012 Reply

  • gebhardino

    great music.

    8 Apr 2012 Reply

  • Zvukovi4ok

    B.e.a.utiful!!!

    11 Jan 2012 Reply

  • Jappas85

    красивая музыка

    15 Aug 2011 Reply

  • sayfuddeen

    ما شاء الله, ما شاء الله .... جـــــــــــــزاك الله

    29 Nov 2010 Reply

  • Tarcitus

    Just discovered "N'ba", great song, absolutely perfect for hot summer evenings!

    16 Jul 2010 Reply

  • Elodie527

    I am a music lover of all genres. But - I must've had a previous life in Africa, because that is my most favorite. Especially music from Mali speaks to me, and most of all Habib's music does. How very wonderful! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

    8 Mar 2010 Reply

  • anjakarlson

    he\s wonderful!

    2 Mar 2010 Reply

  • shortbutfast

    <3

    11 Jan 2010 Reply

  • liztillstrom

    Still loving it!

    20 Dec 2009 Reply

  • mikenrapido

    benim adamım.

    2 Dec 2009 Reply

  • epi_gee

    good stuff.. can't wait to explore more in the future !

    28 Sep 2009 Reply

  • StevePL

    realy original

    15 Apr 2009 Reply

  • joaonatal

    medo da karamella kkkkkkk

    15 Apr 2009 Reply

  • Bursche

    that's the spirit of african music-i love it !

    23 Jan 2009 Reply

  • Clariice

    Just original!

    18 Jan 2009 Reply

  • Karamella365

    HABIB KOITE.IS MY FAVORITE PERFORMING ARTIST OF ANY GENRE. I MET HIM ,SOME 6 YEARS AGO. MY HUSBAND SURPRISED ME, BY FLYING ME TO HOLYOAKE, MA , JUST TO SEE HIM & HIS BAND PERFORM. (SINCE THAT WAS THE CLOSEST PLACE TO FLORIDA TO SEE HIM PERFORM) WE WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED AT ALL. IN FACT,MY HUSBAND BECAME AN INSTANT FAN & RAVED TO EVERYONE HOW HE "NEVER SAW SUCH A MULTI- TALENTED BAND LIKE THAT BEFORE!" AFTERWARDS,WE SPOKE TO HABIB AT LENGTH ABOUT MALI & HIS MUSIC. HE WAS KIND ENOUGH TO KEEP IN TOUCH. I WAS SADDENED WHEN WE MOVED TO ATLANTA & WE LOST CONTACT... I HAVE SHARED HIS MUSIC WITH AMERICAN RAP, ROCK, POP, AND R&B ARTISTS, DJS, MUSICIANS AND PRODUCERS, SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN SOME NEW THINGS. (EACH TIME THEY HAVE GIVEN THE MUSICANSHIP RAVE REVIEWS& QUITE HONEST MANY HAVE BE SURPRISED AT THE WAY THE MUSIC MAKE THEM FEEL AND THE LAYERS TO THE MUSIC-EVEN IF NO ENGLISH) WHAT A GENUINELY KIN, POSITIVE, SPIRITUAL MAN- WHOSE MUSIC REFLECTS IT. EN FIN, C'EST LA VERITE. J'ADORE

    1 Jan 2009 Reply

  • dejavuh

    Adoro!

    30 Sep 2008 Reply

  • spectralbeard

    great great stuff. the best thing so far about purchasing vista. i make all my friends listen to this and no one has thought he is less than amazing. my friends are mostly evil metalheads.

    26 Sep 2008 Reply

  • RuchirVyas

    HI, I got chance to listen to his music accidently when I bought a new PC and the tracks were already there in it. I loved especially the guitar strains played in I Ka Barra. They are lovely. Nice music Habib.

    1 Sep 2008 Reply
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