By Phone: 1.800.838.3006

Habib is from the noble Khassonké griot lineage of Mali. His stirring, evocative music resonates with the emotional depth and spirit of the modern African experience. Habib's artistry and powerful personality earned him the adoration of fans such as Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt, both of whom ended up visiting Habib in Mali. Habib takes some unique approaches to playing the guitar. He tunes his instrument to the pentatonic scale and plays on open strings as one would on a kamale n'goni. At other times Habib plays music that sounds closer to the blues or flamenco, two styles he studied under Khalilou Traoré a veteran of the legendary Afro-Cuban band Maravillas du Mali. Unlike the griots, his singing style is restrained and intimate with varying cadenced rhythms and melodies.

Reviews
"His music is stuningly beautiful and lyrical, rooted in African tradition, yet broadly accessible. Koité is fast becoming an international star."
The New York Times

"First there was Hendrix, then Stevie Ray ...and now Habib!"
Bonnie Raitt

For more info: www.habibkoite.com
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By Phone: 1.800.838.3006

In every land they have traveled, the Roma (or Gypsy) people have survived on a combination of skills and street smarts. Adaptability is the hallmark of the Gypsies. Around the world, Romani music is noted for its simultaneous adaptability to local instruments and sounds while maintaining its own identity. The music integrates elements of the long road of Gypsy culture that stretches between India and Spain and beyond. On their debut self-titled release on Asphalt Tango Records, Kal puts bhangra beats, Argentine tango, waltz, Balkan blues, Montenegran rap, accordion, flamenco guitar, Middle Eastern rhythms, and Turkish clarinets, with dancefloor beats and rock attitude.

The disparate sounds of Kal's music describe a new, post-modern Roma identity that confronts romantic Gypsy clichés. Dragan Ristic, who founded the band with his brother Dushan, says, "We are not living in the past... I'm an urban person, belong to the modern world, [and] go to rave parties...so mixing traditional and urban elements is the best way of presenting our culture."