The Acoustic Africa tour started as a vehicle for introducing some of the continent’s most exciting artists to Western audiences. But it’s evolved into a showcase for Africa’s biggest stars.
Launched in 2006 by the world music label Putumayo in conjunction with a compilation album of the same name, Acoustic Africa originally featured South Africa’s Vusi Mahlasela, Dobet Gnahore from the Ivory Coast and Mali’s Habib Koite, the tour’s headliner and best known bandleader.
Koite is still on board for Acoustic Africa’s latest incarnation, but this time he’s joined by Zimbabwean legend Oliver Mtukudzi and fellow Malian Afel Bocoum, a protégé of the late guitar legend Ali Farka Toure. The guitar triumvirate plays a series of Northern California gigs, including Saturday at the Rio Theatre, Sunday at the San Jose Fairmont’s Club Regent, and Friday, March 25 at Oakland’s Paramount Theater.
While each player represents strikingly different musical traditions, they’re united by their belief in music’s essential power to address social concerns.
“First and foremost what is purpose of a song?” says Mtukudzi, who lives in Zimbabwe’s politically embattled capital Harare. “It’s to give hope to the people. From an African point of view, you don’t get to sing a song when you have nothing to say. When I write a song, I write for the people so it works yesterday, today and tomorrow.”
On past tours each billed artist traveled with his own band. For this tour, the bandleaders choose two members of their group, so the concerts are much more collaborative than in the past, with all the musicians sharing the stage at various moments.
While Bocoum plays laid-back desert blues, Mtukudzi and Koite are both arresting performers with rock star charisma. A giant of West African music who hails from a long line of griots, Koite has won a devoted global following with albums that capture his sizzling guitar work and soulful vocals.
Within Mali, his multi-ethnic band Bamada has helped forge ties between the country’s various peoples by drawing on styles from throughout the large, landlocked nation.
“In the north we have many influences from Arab and Berber music mixed with black African music,” Koite says. “Afel plays this music, and it’s something really deep. In the south you have forest music and when you go east, there are influences from Niger. We have so many different beautiful kinds of traditional songs and rhythms and melodies.”
ACOUSTIC AFRICA
Saturday 8pm
Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz
