One of the most exciting new albums to come out of Africa this year. Idrissa Soumaoro is a name that you will shortly become familiar with.
The musical credentials of Idrissa Soumaoro are impeccable. Having learnt his trade with Les Ambassadeurs with Salif Keita in Bamako, he has been a force within Malian music for a number of years, receiving the Knight of the National order of Mali in recognition of his contribution to Malian culture and music. This came to the notice of famed African producer, Ibrahim Sylla (Salif Keita, Baaba Maal, Ismael Lo), who has taken Idrissa and created the beautiful album Köte
Idrissa is an amazing person, by day he teaches music to visually handicapped children and teaches them to read through the use of braille; in the evenings he then plays his music Rooted in the blues, there are obvious comparisons to Ali Farke Touré and Boubacar Traoré, but there is a freshness and originality which make "Köte" stand out.