Mdou Moctar will perform at The West Kortright Center Friday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m.
Mdou Moctar is a self-taught Tuareg guitarist, singer, and songwriter from Niger who has risen to international prominence by redefining contemporary Saharan music. Often referred to as the “Jimi Hendrix of the Desert,” Moctar is known for his virtuosic guitar playing and the thunderous energy of his full-band performances. In a solo setting, his music takes on a more intimate and raw quality, bringing his guitar playing, voice, and songwriting to the forefront of desert blues.
Moctar’s music draws deeply from his Tuareg heritage while reflecting the political and social realities of life in Niger and the broader Saharan region. His songs have become a powerful form of Tuareg protest music, combining tradition with an unmistakably contemporary sound.
Rolling Stone ranked Mdou Moctar #90 on its list of the 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, praising the way his “sharp but unerringly tuneful lines evoke vast expanses both spiritual and terrestrial.”
Grounds open at 5:30 p.m. Fresh wood-fired pizzas will be available starting at 5:30, and drinks will be available at the concession stand.
This is an indoor concert with general admission seating.
Tickets are $30. Members receive a 10% discount; kids 12 and under are 50% off. Visit westkc.org to purchase tickets. Event schedules and guidelines are subject to change. Call 607-278-5454 or contact info@westkc.org with any questions.
2026 West Kortright Center arts and community programs are funded in part by our members, by contributors to the 2025 Program Fund Drive, by the Bert Santora Trust, the Tianaderrah Foundation, and by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, from the A. Lindsay & Olive B. O’Connor Foundation and the Robinson-Broadhurst Foundation. Special thanks to our season sponsor, Catskill Country Living, Good Cheap Foods, Nathan Love, Magpies, Green Treen Home Candle, Argosy Designs, and Shepherd’s Meadows.
