For singer-guitarist Habib Koite of Mali in West Africa, understanding and conversing in English takes a great deal of effort. Combining Malian rhythms and scales with European and American musical styles and singing in multiple Malian dialects is much easier. He has done this so well that he may be the biggest pop star in West Africa.
    He and his band, Bamada, will bring a lush, intricate music with layers of intoxicating, danceable rhythms; passionate vocals; and underlying joy to the Barns at Wolf Trap on Tuesday night.
    When Mr. Koite was growing up, he was surrounded by many generations of music. But he was headed for a career as an engineer until an uncle insisted that he enroll at the Malian National Institute of Arts. There he studied classical guitar and European classical music, but the curriculum also included traditional Malian musical styles and scales.
    Mr. Koite was intrigued by the broad variety of Malian music. Ethnic groups and regions of his large country, which is about three times the size of California, have their own distinct music.
    "In Africa, a big part of modern musicians think about to play some European or American music, reggae or hip-hop," Mr. Koite says. "But I decide to use my experience of world music in Malian music, because in Mali, we have a lot of different music."
    Mr. Koite says he likes the challenge of making different styles work together. A talented guitar player and arranger, he studies the structure of songs from all over his home country and incorporates what he learns into his own music.
    Initially, this was a bold step for a Malian musician. When Mr. Koite began playing in Malian nightclubs, musicians generally played only the music from the village where they were born.
    "I play all, and I try the new experience with each music because I'm not come from this village," Mr. Koite says. "I take the music, and I listen and listen a lot and take essential element and mix."