Habib Koité & Mama Koné

A NOTE FROM WISCONSIN UNION THEATER: Unfortunately we received word just three days ago that Bassekou Kouyate and his band were denied visas. We will present Habib Koité with his (female) percussionist, Mama Koné, which should be an amazing concert. However, in empathy with the disappointment some may feel, we are offering tickets at $10 off, good on all prices except UW-Madison students. Folks can get the discount by using the code GUITAR10 when purchasing tickets online, over the phone, or in person at the Campus Arts Ticketing box office located in Memorial Union.

Two musical giants from Mali converge in Madison. A politically charged guitar master, Koité has made a decades-long career combining delicate and intricate guitar lines with resolute messages on such topics as smoking (“Cigarette A Bana”) and feminism (“Wassiye”). Kouyate is another great from the West African nation. An innovator of the region’s string instrument called the Ngoni, Kouyate has stretched the lute-like object to its limits, being among the first to electrify it. Songs like “Yakare” off his LP from this year show a technical master at his finest.

press release: The Wisconsin Union Theater welcomes Habib Koité and Bassekou Kouyate on Friday, March 8, 2019, at 8:00pm in Shannon Hall. Prices for the event are as follows: General Public are $25-34, Union Members are $25-30, UW Faculty/Staff are $25-32, Youth are $20, and UW-Madison Students are $10. Tickets may be bought online, by phone at 608-265-ARTS (2787) or in person, see locations and hours here.