National Geographic Music (National Geographic)

Malian superstar Salif Keita returns to North American stages for the first time in two years with a summer tour supporting his new record, M'bemba. The tour will kick off in Washington DC's Lisner Auditorium on June 28th and nine select cities in the United States and Canada through July and early August.

Nicknamed "The Golden Voice of Africa" Keita is one of the continent's best known stars—as well known for his improbable rise to fame as for his electrifying stage shows and huge voice. Born into a royal family, Keita was discouraged from playing music since it was considered beneath his rank in in caste-bound Mali. Also born an albino, the very color of Keita's skin was considered unlucky in his homeland. But Keita persevered against these prejudices to win over his countrymen and emerge as an international African pop sensation.

Keita began his music career in the late '60s as singer for Mali's legendary Super Rail Band. When political unrest roiled his homeland in the '70s, he decamped to Côte d'Ivoire and joined Les Ambassadeurs, one of the great Afropop bands of that decade. By the early '80s he had relocated to Paris in order to concentrate on his solo career. His 1987 release Soro, was his international debut and breakthrough, and he toured and recorded his signature Mande pop sound throughout the rest of that decade and up to the current moment. His most recent release, Moffou was nominated for a Grammy in 2002.

M'bemba, scheduled for a June 20th release on the Decca label, builds on the success of Moffou with a mix of traditional Malian and western pop sounds. The album's many guest artists include kora-player Toumani Diabate, ngoni-virtuoso Mama Sissoko and Jamaican dancehall don Buju Banton.

Keita recently offered fans a preview of his tour at the Fes Festival of Sacred Music in Morocco this weekend, when he performed two sets on consecutive days; mixing together old favorites with new material, and garnering standing ovations each time.

Salif Keita 2006 North American Tour Dates:

06/28/2006
Lisner Auditorium
Washingotn, DC

06/29/2006
Metrotech Commons
Brooklyn, NY

06/30/2006
Apollo Theatre
New York, NY

07/05/2006
Festival International de Jazz de Montreal
Montreal, QC

08/04/2006
North Carolina Museum of Art
Raleigh, NC

08/06/2006
Reggae on the River Festival
Piercey, CA

08/11/2006
Vancouver Orpheum Theatre
Vancouver, BC

08/12/2006
Prince Island Park
Calgary, Alberta

08/13/2006
Edmonton Folk Music Festival
Edmonton, Alberta