Boubacar Traoré ^{+ Habib Koité & Bamada}

After more than eleven years, the king of African blues Boubacar Traoré returns to LantarenVenster, in a unique double program together with singer/guitarist Habib Koité and his band Bamada, who could be admired a little more often in LantarenVenster.

Boubacar Traore

Since the death of the godfathers of Malian blues, Ali Farka Touré and Lobi Traoré, Boubacar 'Karkar' Traoré has been the standard bearer of the genre. Karkar has a deep, husky voice, imbued with nostalgia. In Europe his music is known as blues, but he found inspiration for his guitar playing in his own region, with the kora, a 21-string harp flute. In his voice we can actually hear the Niger and Mississippi merging. The blues tradition from the southern United States - think of Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Blind Willie McTell - comes together with Malian traditional music. What you hear are intimate songs, simple but refined strumming in combination with sunny, melancholic vocals. The blues feeling in Traoré's music is enhanced by the use of the harmonica. At the same time he preserves his African roots through the rustic accompaniment on gourd, balafon and lute.

Habib Koite & Bamada

Habib Koité is one of the most influential and popular singers from Mali. Moreover, Koité is an impressive and unique guitarist. He uses a so-called pentatonic tuning, which makes his music very similar to blues and flamenco: two styles that musician Khalilou Traoré taught him to master. Habib connects the best of Mali's rich traditional heritage with the best modern blues and pop music. His sparkling, virtuoso guitar technique and soft, husky melodic voice delight fans of pop music and world music all over the world. His albums consistently top the world music charts. He sings in English, French and Bambara and will perform together with his regular backing band Bamada.