He's been away from the studio for six years. The new album was worth the wait.
Being only vaguely familiar with his previous releases, I didn't know what to expect from this new album, part of the Putumayo World Music catalog. This one instantly fell into my top three rotations in the stereo.
Koite's voice, blended with his band Bamada's music, is a traditional blend of West African sounds that provides a mellow and zesty mix of tracks. Choral African voices chill and inspire as they serve as the background in many of the songs. For someone like me who has been to West Africa on numerous occasions, this CD will bring any listener directly back to the Continent.
The guitar rhythms of Mali are enticing and I encourage those who enjoy other Putumayo Acoustic or African selections, such as Acoustic Africa, Women of Africa, One World Many Cultures, or Mali to buy Habib Koite's new album, Afriki.
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About Me
- Miranda Paul
- Miranda K. Paul is a certified teacher who loves to travel. She has taught English, Spanish, and Language Arts in several states and is enjoying her new role as a mother. Among her favorite places in the world is The Gambia, a very small country in West Africa. Miranda taught in The Gambia in 2003, where she learned a lot about Islam, African languages and oral history, and current challenges facing Africa. Miranda grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and is excited about her recent move back to her hometown to start a business that she hopes, “Will help spread my love for the world and its peoples to members of this community.”