Habib comes from a noble line of Khassonké griots, traditional troubadours who provide wit, wisdom and musical entertainment at social gatherings and special events.

Habib grew up surrounded by seventeen brothers and sisters, and developed his unique guitar style accompanying his griot mother.

He inherited his passion for music from his paternal grandfather who played the kamele n'goni, a traditional four-stringed instrument associated with hunters from the Wassolou region of Mali.

At other times Habib plays music that sounds closer to the blue, style he studied under Khalilou Traoré a veteran of the legendary Afro-Cuban band Maravillas du Mali.

My job is to take all these traditions and to make something with them, to use them in my music.” In 1988, Habib formed his own group, Bamada (a nickname for residents of Bamako that roughly translates "in the mouth of the crocodile"), with young Malian musicians who had been friends since childhood.

In 1991, Habib won first prize at the Voxpole Festival in Perpignan, France, which earned him enough money to finance the production of two songs.

After the release of another successful single entitled, "Nanalé (The Swallow),” Habib received the prestigious Radio France International (RFI) Discoveries prize.

From that point forward, Habib became a fixture on the European festival circuit and began to spread his infectious music and high energy shows around the world.

In 2001, Habib Koité and Bamada became one the few African artists to appear on Late Night with David Letterman, one of America's most popular television variety shows.

A true road warrior, Habib Koite & Bamada have performed nearly 1500 shows since 1994 and appeared on some of the world's most prestigious concert stages.

In 2006 & 2007, Habib has also taken part in the Desert Blues project with fellow Malians Tartit and Afel Boucoum and Acoustic Africa tour with South African troubadour Vusi Mahlasela and the rising young star Dobet Gnahoré from the Ivory Coast.

Habib Koite & Bamada's transfixing performances have endeared them to an ever-growing audience, and in 2003 they released Fôly!, a double CD of live material.

In 2007 the band was on the road to present their new album "Afriki", a great combination of the Malian rhythmes, a meeting between tradition and more contemporary waves, with nice & intimate melodies.

Since this time, they kept the idea to play again together … The duo has been joined by Malian percussionist Mama Kone for more than 120 dates in Europe and the USA since the release of the album.

After presenting this album in Europe and in the USA, Habib is happy to be back with Vusi Mahalasela for a new US Acoustic Africa tour in the spring of 2016.

Foro Bana, a song that appeared in Koité's 1998 album Ma Ya, has been praised for its innovative guitar picking and melodious tunes.