HABIB KOITE & BAMADA Foly!
Recorded live during this singer/guitarist/songwriter’s 2002 European tour, this 2-disc set is an exuberant celebration of Malian music. Backed by his amazing band, Koite is a versatile guitarist and an expressive singer. Many of the tracks hover at about 10 minutes, and get really hypnotic with flowing, repetitive percussion that sweeps you along. Lots of crowd noise adds to the energy. It’s all worth a play.
Disc 1:
1. Kora, guitar, perc. Mid/uptempo w/great interplays of solos. 10:58
2. Mid/uptempo w/some great guitar work. Very cool. 9:28
3. Sweet flute, vox, harmonica, changeable. 10:06
4. Slower w/a sweet melody & a gentle lyricism. 6:39
5. Bright, swaying, joyful. 4:15
6. He gets the crowd dancing…like a Malian Richard Simmons. 8:49
7. Midtempo, a good display of his guitar skills. 7:06
8. Nice midtempo blend of vox/guitar/kora. 6:38
9. Relaxed vocals, picks up with nice work from the band, esp. kora. 7:47
Disc 2:
1. Upbeat w/nice vocals & driving percussion. 8:18
2. A high-energy jam w/some serious percussion. 10:02
3. Funky mid/uptempo and infectious. Very cool. 12:02
4. Warm, bright, and swinging w/great kora/vox/perc/guitars. 7:06
5. More simple & relaxed. A sweet tune w/warm vocals. 6:22
6. Mid/uptempo, catchy. Goes right into #7
7. Sudden opening, funky, uptempo. Wow, what a great thing 6:20
8. Starts big, gets simple, then crazy. Just go for the ride. 16:40
9. Slower, w/great strings/perc/vox. Some great guitar work. 4:42

1/2004