One of Africa's most popular and celebrated musicians, Habib Koité hails from the West African nation of Mali. He descends from a line of griots, traditional troubadours who provide wit, wisdom, and entertainment to the public. Koité takes this role to the world at large, his charisma and magnetism translating easily across cultural divides. He is also famous for his unique approach to playing the guitar; he tunes his instrument to the pentatonic scale. Joining Koité is the group Bamada, comprised of Malian musicians with whom Koité has been friends since childhood. Together they combine rock and classical techniques with Malian tunings and are recognized the world over as master musicians and performers.

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6:00-7:00pm
Come early, relax and mingle with new and old friends during this special preshow event. Guests can enjoy happy hour, hors d'oeuvres and music by Amro presents The Memphis Jazz Workshop Student Ensemble.

Hosted by International Memphis & Playback Memphis

Malian guitar virtuoso, Habib Koité, and his band, Bamada, preform in their music video to Massaké, off of their album, Afriki. Habib melds his insatiable guitar playing, who has been compared to legend's, Jimmy Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn, with a diverse compilation of traditional Malian music to create the melodic, foot stomping grooves that can be found on Afriki.

Series Sponsor:

The Gupta Family Ltd. Partnership