Habib Koité + Oliver Mtukudzi + Afel Bocoum

Playing as part of this Acoustic Africa tour, Malian guitarist Koité comes from a line of Wassolou griots (the same tradition that Malian superstar Oumou Sangare sings from). Guitar nerds may thrill to the fact that he tunes his instrument like an ngoni (i.e., open and pentatonic). The rest of us can simply enjoy his tickly guitar style and wickedly danceable tunes, in the company of Oliver Mtukudzi, a Zimbabwean singer-songwriter with a growl so whispery, it almost sounds like a purr.