Habib Koite to Play Lincoln Theatre, 2/12

Called "Mali's biggest pop star" by Rolling Stone, West African singer, songwriter, and guitarist Habib Koité has sold more than 250,000 albums around the globe and received raves from publications such as People, Entertainment Weekly, Vanity Fair, and The New York Times. Drawing on styles from the different regions of Mali, Habib has gained a strong fan base by integrating the rock and folk sounds of the Western world with his cherished Malian roots.

CAPA presents Habib Koité at the Lincoln Theatre (769 E. Long St.) on Wednesday, February 12, at 8 pm. Tickets are $20 and $25 at the CAPA Ticket Center (39 E. State St.), all Ticketmaster outlets, and www.ticketmaster.com. To purchase tickets by phone, please call (614) 469-0939 or (800) 745-3000. Individuals aged 13-25 may purchase $5 PNC Arts Alive All Access tickets while available. For more information, visit www.GoFor5.com.

This Spectrum Series performance is made possible through the generous support of series sponsors David and Mo Meuse and 2013-14 CAPA season sponsor American Airlines.

After a six-year absence from the recording studio, Malian guitarist Habib Koité and his band Bamada returned with a stunning new album, Afriki, in 2007. With more than 250,000 albums sold around the globe, the appearance on the popular television show "Late Night with David Letterman," a duet with Bonnie Raitt on her 2002 album Silver Lining, and nearly a thousand concerts on some of the world's most prestigious stages under his belt, Habib Koité is one of Africa's most beloved and popular Musicians. Afriki features an appealing set of songs that reflect Habib's unique and innovative approach to the diverse styles of Malian music.

Devoted fans have waited a long time for Habib to return to the studio to record the follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2001 release, Baro. As with many craftsman, Habib is a perfectionist and spends a great deal of time composing and arranging his material. He draws on styles from the different regions of Mali rather than solely on the music from his particular area. Habib has gained a strong fan base by integrating the rock and folk sounds of the Western world without watering down his cherished Malian roots. He descends from a line of griots, traditional troubadours that provide wit, wisdom, and entertainment, and his charisma and magnetism translates across cultures.

Few African artists have received the sales and media exposure of Habib Koité. Called "Mali's biggest pop star" by Rolling Stone (in an infamous article in which Bonnie Raitt compared him to Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughn), Habib has also received raves from widely read publications such as People, Entertainment Weekly, Vanity Fair, and the New York Times. While sales of African music generally struggle to break the 10,000 unit mark, Habib has defied expectations by selling more than 100,000 copies of his last two studio albums, putting him in the upper echelons of world music artists.

Photo credit: Dirk Leunis