The niGht was cold but inside the Overture Center for the Performing Arts the heat was just getting turned on. Sitting in the center of the orchestra section was the best place for my ears to be when our friend, Raul Midón took the stage. As he got everything situated, the moment of true readiness was known with the first breath taken into the mic and the first note played on his guitar. The fluidity and sincerity of his voice certainly hit home with the Madison crowd, as they gave him the handclapped approval every artists likes to hear. His guitar work left many speechless as he plucked ans picked and slapped his way throuGh many tunes you can find on his live album, as well as a few off the upcoming album that he and I discussed on the proGram a week earlier entitled “Don’t Hesitate” which left the people ready to reach into their pockets and walk home with it. They’ll have to wait at least into early spring to be able to take it home. Then they can take all that positive storytelling upliftedness home with them in more than a memory form. Raul was on before our other friend, Habib Koité. Habib and the band brouGht a fire with them that comes from the motherland, the homeland. He gave us great tales in music form as well as between the songs, telling the audience of how the homeland sufferings makes the music even more meaningful to the world, and how sharing it with us was/is a true joy. Then he and the band proceeded to give us plenty of new tracks off the brand new release Soô, all done with large smiles upon their faces, which easily translated into smiles on our faces. It was hard to contain the bodies from wanting to get up and move, so we didn’t. When the liGhts went up and Habib saw all of us, you could feel how honored he was to have us all (and it was an ALL) there with him sharing in these moments. This show was filled with these positive moments, both in the audience and on the staGe, it would be well worth your time to catch one or either of these friends of the proGram as they make their way around the world doing the things they do.
