PHOTOS Oumar Konate, Coconut Cake at The Mothlight in West Asheville

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

1

Check out these great photos from Ashvegas contributor Chris Nelson:

Malian guitarist Oumar Konaté and his band played a riveting show at The Mothlight last week. This was their first US tour, taking them from New York to Los Angeles and back again.

With Cheick Siriman Sissoko on bass and Makan Camara on drums and calabash, Oumar played through a set consisting of both traditional melodies and blistering rockers. Drummer Makan propelled the music forward with his heavy, driving rhythms on the calabash, and Oumar played effortlessly, alternating between intricate, meandering lines on his acoustic guitar, and shredding on his Ibanez. Congolese rhumba band Coconut Cake opened, and had the crowd dancing up a storm.