After a six-year absence from the recording studio, Malian guitarist Habib Koité and his band Bamada return this fall with a stunning new album, Afriki. With more than 250,000 albums sold around the globe, an appearance on the popular television show Late Night with David Letterman, a duet with Bonnie Raitt on her 2002 album Silver Lining and nearly a thousand concerts on some of the world's most prestigious stages under his belt, Habib Koité is one of Africa's most beloved and popular musicians. Afriki emphasizes a tight acoustic sound, showcasing some little-heard traditional instruments such as polyphonic hunter's horns, alongside balafón (wooden xylophone), n'goni (a Malian lute) and Habib's iconic voice and guitar. "I want to open a small window to the new generation," explains Habib regarding his use of Malian folk instruments, "to help them hear our old traditions even if it is in new music." Afriki will surely please Habib's extensive fan base and should help bring the Malian superstar to an even wider audience.