Habib Koite is one of Africa’s leading musical exports, a charismatic singer-guitarist songwriter from Mali.  His group is called Bamada, a nickname for residents of Mali’s capital city Bamako, which literally means in the mouth of the crocodile.

He describes his approach to music in this way: “I’m curious about all the music in the world, but I make music from Mali.  IN my country, we have so many beautiful rhythms and melodies.  Many villages and communities have their own kind of music.

“Usually, Malian musicians play only their own ethnic music, but me, I go everywhere.  My job is to take all these traditions and to make something with them, to use them in my music.”

He has been featured in People Magazine and Rolling Stone, and on The Late Show with David Letterman, WXPN’s World Café, PRI’s The World, and the House of Blues Radio Hour “Mali to Memphis” special.  His new release is a pulsating double-CD live set titled, “Foly” (on World Village).  Whether crooning a ballad or reeling off fluent solos on his guitar tuned to the pentatonic scale, he mesmerizes audiences.

Additional excitement is generated by Keletigui Diabate, a master of the mandingue (Malian) balafon, a wooden-keyed xylophone.  He played with Lionel Hampton during the 1960s and reminds the audience of his jazz chops when he segues into “Summertime.”