Afro Roots World Music Festival Coming to Miami on April 16th

One of the most exciting world music events of the year will be in Miami on April 16th: the 13th Annual Afro Roots World Music Festival.

The festival will feature the Haitian Rara & Caribbean sounds of Boukman Eksperyans; Locos Por Juana with Special Guest Rocky Dawuni; The Spam Allstars with Special Guest Papa Malick Faye; and Jahfe plus DJ Moses and live painting by Lebo.

That's a dynamite lineup. For more than a decade this festival has been one of the premier world music events in the US, with a special emphasis on cutting-edge African and Caribbean sounds. A definite must-see if you live in the area, and a great excuse to head to Miami if you don't.

Download or listen to some special free sample tracks from Locos Por Juana ("AfroSound"), Rocky Dawuni ("Download the Revolution"), The Spam Allstars ("Agua de Poco") and Jahfe ("Solution").

More on the festival and its history:

Community Arts and Culture presents the 13th Annual Afro Roots World Music Festival, Celebrating 13 years of serving Miami Dade County with quality programs, this festival has been noted by some as the longest running world music festival in Miami. The festival has been able to expand its reach beyond local South Florida artists by bringing in performers from African countries such as Senegal, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Mali, and the Republic of Congo. This global connection through music has helped the festival evolve into one of Miami’s most culturally diverse events.

13th Annual Afro Roots World Music Festival

Saturday, April 16

5:00pm – 3:00am

7 Circuit Studio, 228 NE 59 St. Miami FL
$10 Presale on Brown Paper Tickets .com/ $15 at the Door

Children Under 12: $5 at the door

On Saturday The Afro Roots World Music Festival main event will include the high energy sounds of Grammy Nominated group Boukman Eksperyans fusing traditional Haitian and Caribbean rhythms with rock and reggae. Also featured are Miami’s beloved Latin Urban Orchestra, Locos Por Juana who will be joined on stage by Ghana’s international music star, Rocky Dawuni. Also performing are the Spam Allstars who’s blend of Electro Descarga will be joined by the sounds of Senegalese Percussion Master Papa Malick Faye. Finally, kicking things off this year is Jahfe , an act that fuses roots reggae with many other genres including rock, dub, soul and R&B, creating a unique blend of organic sounds. World renowned painter and Miami native, LEBO, will be painting live to the music, and DJ MOSES will be spinning the sounds of the world in between sets.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo in DC!

Legendary South African choir Ladysmith Black Mambazo comes to Washington, DC's Lisner Auditorium on Thursday, March 10th.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo create a joy-infused environment everywhere they sing the complex and harmonious songs developing out of the South African Isicathamiya tradition. The Grammy-Winning all-male choir, launched to international fame by Paul Simon's Graceland, has married the intricate rhythms and harmonies of their native South African musical traditions to the sounds and sentiments of Christian gospel music for more than forty years.

Tickets are $25, $35, $45, $55, available from :

www.ticketmaster.com, Lisner Box Office, or 202-397-SEAT

Lisner Auditorium, 21st and H Streets NW, Washington DC.

Info: www.lisner.org or 202-994-6800

"The voices ... share deep, resonant chords, hummed or shouted or swooped, in joyous crescendos or a velvety hush; they answer gentle exhortations from Ladysmith's leader or propel his solos with rhythmic riffs, or sing along behind him with rich unanimity. Onstage, the group matches its harmonies with dance steps, kicking and soft-shoeing."
- The New York Times

Chopteeth and Funk Ark in Virginia!

Great show tonight at Jammin Java outside of Washington, DC in Vienna, VA: Chopteeth and Funk Ark. If you're in the area, hope you can make it!

Brooklyn Afrobeat Party

The Afrobeat Renaissance continues to flourish in the US.

A new 13 piece afrobeat band based out of Brooklyn called Zongo Junction is hosting a monthly party called "Afro Funky" dedicated to afrobeat, funk and soul. The parties started in July at Public Assembly but are moving to a new venue. The nights are expected to grow as time goes on.

The next show is in Williamsburg (at the Cameo Gallery, a new music venue behind the lovin cup cafe on N 6th between Berry and Wythe). Participating bands are all based out of Brooklyn, and Williamburg in particular ( including Ikebe Shakedown, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, No Small Money Brass Band, Meta & The Cornerstones). Very Brooklyn-centric!

Shows typically have 3 bands and a DJ and they're charging only $5 to get in. A good deal to see 3 great bands and a DJ! The party goes from 10pm-2am

Afro Funky!
A Celebration of Afrobeat & More
Thursday, February 11
9pm - $5
Cameo Gallery

93 N. 6th St. Between Berry and Wythe
Zongo Junction
Ikebe Shakedown
The People's Champs
DJ Stylus (Brooklyn Wonderland)

Akoya Afrobeat Hits in Brooklyn: Friday, January 8

This should be a fabulous show in one of the best clubs in the country for Afrobeat!

Akoya Afrobeat

with The Revelations (featuring Tre Williams)

Southpaw
125 5th Avenue (between Sterling & St. John's)
Brooklyn, NY 11238
Door 9 PM, Show 9:30
$10
Advance tickets

Saturday, January 9: Chopteeth at Rock and Roll Hotel

Great show in Washington, DC this Saturday, January 9th:

Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band with DJ Jahsonic!

The Rock & Roll Hotel
1353 H St NE
Washington, DC
(202) 388-ROCK
$15—doors open at 8:30PM
All ages
Advance tickets

Chopteeth and Kinobe & Soul Beat Africa w/ Head-Roc

This is going to be a fantastic show!

On Saturday, November 28th, Chopteeth returns to the Black Cat in Washington, DC for a dynamic evening of African dance music. You can count on Chopteeth for explosive 1970s West African big band classics as well as critically-acclaimed original music inspired by afrobeat, highlife and African rhumba. Big horns, raging guitars and driving rhythms—there’s never a dull moment once the band's funk train starts rolling.

Kinobe and Soul Beat Africa will open the evening with its internationally-celebrated synthesis of African roots and world music. The BBC calls Kinobe "some of the most exquisite music coming out of Africa today." Traditional African instruments – koras, kalimbas, adungus, endongos, ngonis, drums – blend with guitars and keyboards, and draw on influences from around the globe. All Music Guide praises the group for its "effortless virtuosity." Kinobe and Soul Beat Africa present a scintillating new groove and an amazing performance.

Head-Roc, the Mayor of DC hip-hop, will join Chopteeth on stage for a special guest appearance, bringing his trademark blend of truth-telling and beats.

Saturday, November 28

The Black Cat

1811 14th St NW

Washington, DC 20009

(202) 667-4490

9PM - $15

Buy advance tickets

About Chopteeth

Chopteeth is a 14-piece Afrofunk orchestra exploring the common groove between the funkiest, most hip-shakin’ West African and American popular music. Chopteeth’s sound is a spicy stew of modern jazz, Yoruba tribal music and burning, James Brown-inspired rhythms, The band has electrified dance audiences in the Washington, DC and Baltimore region since 2004. The Washington Post described Chopteeth “a sensation” and “one of DC’s funkiest bands.” Chopteeth was featured on National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition for its “afrofunk with lunatic energy,” while Baltimore Magazine raved about Chopteeth’s “epic live shows.” The band’s debut CD was released in September 2008 and met with international critical acclaim: “thunderous and potent” (Billboard Magazine); “wonderfully fresh” (All Music Guide); “socially conscious and raucous” (All About Jazz). In February 2009, the Washington Area Music Association awarded Chopteeth its Artist of the Year Wammie Award as well as Wammie Awards for Best World Music Group, Best World Music CD and Best Debut CD. Chopteeth appears regularly at many of the top area music venues including The Kennedy Center, Strathmore, The 9:30 Club, The Black Cat and many others.

About Kinobe & Soul Beat Africa

Kinobe (pronounced “Chi-No-Bé”) is an accomplished musician from Uganda whose early abilities in traditional African music quickly garnered acclaim on the world stage. Kinobe has toured the African continent for more than a decade performing with such figures in African roots music as Toumani Diabate, Youssou N’dour, Salif Keita, Angelique Kidjo, Oliver Mtukudzi, Baaba Maal, Ismael Lo, and many others. His band Soul Beat Africa is the new voice of Ugandan music. They have been bringing their energetic and highly visual show to audiences across Europe and Africa for years. These musicians represent the new vanguard of Ugandan performers, gifted instrumentalists steeped in the music of their homeland, but with ears opened to the sounds of the world at large. Driving poly-rhythms underlay transcendent melodies, touching audiences throughout the world.

About Head-Roc

For over the past 15 years Head-Roc has come to embody the passions, hopes and dreams of a wonderfully talented and all too often overlooked DC music scene. Head-Roc’s honest and relevant lyrics are a refreshing change in this current era of corporate Hip-Hop exploitation. His music has inspired many in the progressive movement to rethink Hip Hop’s potential for achieving social change and he is widely regarded as one of the key voices in this movement!

Grupo Fantasma at The Black Cat in DC: Friday, Jan 9

By Robert Fox:

One of my favorite bands anywhere is coming to the Black Cat in Washington, DC on Friday, January 9th: the epic Grupo Fantasma. Longtime readers of The Afrofunk Forum know that we're big fans of Grupo Fantasma's devastating cumbia and salsa. Their live shows split atoms and crumble boulders with head-spinning latin funk.

The band is touring in support of their outstanding new album, Sonidos Gold. Grupo Fantasma was at the Black Cat in June with another favorite band of mine Bio Ritmo. Grupo Fantasma put on a clinic and I can promise you that this time will be no different.

Don't believe me? Then check out the rave press reviews for their recent shows, which, if anything, understate the band's impact: "one of the sickest live bands ever" (Philadelphia Weekly); "they blast off in their own funkified, genre-breaking direction" (Billboard); "this freight train of a Latin band will knock you down with the grooves" (The Village Voice); "the decade's most important artist in the Latin genre" (Allmusic Guide). Heard enough? Then get advance tickets here and don't miss the opportunity to see them in Washington, DC, or on another stop of their current tour.

Marc Powers from MN8 provides some background on the band and on the Friday show in DC:

On Friday January 9th a sonic heatwave is set to sizzle DC as Austin's
Grammy-nominated Latin funk orchestra, Grupo Fantasma, performs live at the
Black Cat. The eleven piece unit of Grupo Fantasma is best known for their
exuberant live shows and their recent association with Prince, having backed him
on numerous occasions, including his performance on the ALMA Awards in
2007.

Grupo Fantasma, who just received a Grammy Nomination for Best Latin
Alternative Album for "Sonidos Gold," is currently touring the east-coast for a
string of winter dates. Their DC show will be set off by 2 hometown acts,
namely, Batala, a 14-piece stellar band of female drummers who will be followed
by Nayas, whose Tropical Rock always heats up the crowd. And to top things off,
VIVA 900's DJ Rockactivo will keep the party going between sets with his frentic
mix of Latin jams.

Tickets are $15 and are On Sale Now at all Ticketmaster and Ritmo Latino
Outlets. Doors Open @ 9PM for this All Ages Show.

King Soul: The Memphis Sound Returns!

By Robert Fox


There's a cool new band currently making waves in the Washington, DC area: King Soul. They've assembled an All-Star lineup of funk, soul and New Orleans-style pros, and these guys can really bring it, resurrecting the old-school Stax sounds with a groovy modern twist.
I saw King Soul recently in Hyattsville, MD, and had a great time with their tight rhythms, powerful horns and clever hooks. I was especially impressed with Tom Clifford's sweaty, grit-filled vocals and high-energy performance. This band keeps the audience on its feet--big fun.


Afrofunk fans who may know Stax best because of Isaac Hayes and The Bar-Kays will find a lot to love here, celebrating the classic early Memphis soul sound. From the King Soul My Space page, in the "sounds like" section:

The way it should be. The sound in your mind. The Truth. Fried Chicken. The sound in your feet. Didn't know I needed it so bad. Red Beans & Rice. That 45 you love. Today as another place, another time.!

If you live in the DC area, definitely don't miss King Soul on Friday, August 29 at Iota in Arlington, VA, which is located at 2832 Wilson Blvd. Thousand $ Car, from New Orleans, will also be joining the bill. The show starts at 9 and cover is $10. See you there

Afrobeat in Action--Seun Kuti at The 9:30 Club in Washington DC!!!

By Kenny Eaton

Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 will be playing at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. on Monday July 7th at 7:00PM. Seun is of course the son of of the late, great Fela Kuti, who started the genre of Afrobeat-- mixing West African funk and American jazz into an unmistakable collage of dance, melody, and culture. Seun Kuti,follows in the trailblazing aspirations of his father--developing Afrobeat musically, culturally, and politically. He's reassembled key members of Fela's earth-shaking band and is making a powerful impact by updating a classic sound in his own innovative way.

For those dedicated readers of the Afrofunk Music Forum, you might have read a blog I wrote a while back on Seun and Fela Kuti. It gives a nice perspective into the Kuti family's history of music making and its lasting effects on the world.

Do not miss this incredible opportunity to witness the Kuti heritage in action. Check out Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. on July 7th. It's an all ages show. The 9:30 Club is located at 815 V St, and tickets can be purchased for $25 at the 9:30 Club, or via tickets.com. Yeah Yeah!

Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble Album Release Party Feb. 28

By Kenneth Eaton

The Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble will be hosting an album release party for their latest work, P.D.P. (President Dey Pass), on February 28th at S.O.B.’s in New York City. The night will undoubtedly test the dance floor as DJ Rich Medina, Cedric "Im" Brooks of The Skatalites, Amayo and other members of Antibalas and the Budos Band share the stage.

This will be a special night for the New York Afrobeat scene. The 14-piece Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble combines the driving arrangements of the iconic bandleader Fela Kuti and Western conceptions of jazz and funk in a blossoming Afrobeat style. Their effective interplay of horns and vocal melodies with a monumental rhythm section brims with style, culture, and life. Under the guidance of bandleader Kaleta, a former percussionist for Fela Kuti and King Sunny Ade, the Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble provides a snapshot of culture in Africa, the Americas and the Caribbean. Don’t miss out!

Doors open at 7pm. Set times at 9pm and 11pm. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. S.O.B.’s address: 125 5th Avenue 207 Varick Street New York, NY.

Check out Akoya’s first CD and visit the Akoya My Space page!

If Bears Played Dub...

By David McDavitt

Oki Dub Ainu Band and Marewrew
Indigenous Ainu/Reggae
At the Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.
February 8, 2007

Filtering folkloric, tribal music through popular Western forms is perhaps a natural evolution in an increasingly homogenous world. While such fusions are exciting to many world music fans, and may ensure the survival of otherwise vanishing traditions, there are the dangers of sophomoric execution, diluted traditions, and a product that is less than the sum of its parts. Fortunately, Oki Dub Ainu Band & Marewrew have created an elegant fusion that is entertaining, educational, and retains a strong Ainu identity.

Oki and his fellow musicians are Ainu, a pre-Japanese (“Jomon”) culture native to the northernmost island of Japan: Hokkaido. Like Native Americans, the Ainu were the indigenous people of Japan before the current dominant culture invaded (from China or Korea). The Ainu are animists, with the bear being a central deity (kamuy)- Oki's version of a Rastafarian "Lion of Judah" features a bear. While Ainu epic poetry survived, their instrumental culture was reduced to museum collections, until Oki (a Tokyo University educated, US employed special effects artist) learned how to play and construct tonkori, the Ainu lute. Oki relocated to Hokkaido & dedicated himself to traditional and fusion Ainu music.

While Oki has performed and recorded traditional Ainu tonkori music, his focus is on a unique fusion of simple catchy traditional Ainu melodies & songs with reggae/afropop flavored rhythm section backing. Oki’s fusion is unique, inspired, and demonstrates a high level of education in the foreign musical forms he is incorporating, ensuring its success. This is a thoughtful choice: reggae & afropop are hip & relevant, and both flow with Ainu musical forms. Rolling triplet lute ostinatos blend seamlessly with African-triplet Afropop beats. Reggae upbeat skanks on guitar and hi-hat follow traditional Ainu clapping rhythms. The reggae-esque bass lines & drum-kit rhythms underpin the Ainu melodies without obscuring them.

The band consists of Oki (tonkori, vocals, guitar), Naoyuki Uchida (dub mixing: fades & echo effects), Hutoshu Ikabe (vocals, tonkori, bilma: Australian Aboriginal iron-wood claves), Hiro Nakamura (bass guitar), Takashi Numazawa (drum-kit).

The female “Marewrew” Ainu a-cappella group who joined Oki for this performance included Rekpo, Hisae Kawamura, Mai Hachiya, and Rie Yamamoto.

So what does it sound like? Well, the tonkori itself sounds quite like a West African kora or ngoni, only darker, with more overtones (sympathetic string vibrations), and less polyrhythms, like the Celtic harp. Ainu singing is highly rhythmic, with beautiful catchy melodies like Maori or Polynesian ritual singing. Oki’s music centers around the catchy Ainu song melodies with mostly harp accompaniment, but occasionally reggae or funk electric guitar work.

Nakamura’s bass guitar work is rooted in reggae’s sparse lines, but brilliantly obeys the rules of Ainu melody & rhythm, so it highlights without imposing. Numazawa’s drumming is tasteful mix of mostly rockers or steppers reggae, and added much of the African polyrhythmic coloring to the sound on hi-hat, or melodic tom work. The dub echo effects were used sparingly, and in smart places, rightly highlighting the tonkori most often, but also providing echo tunnels of the snare drum & vocals occasionally.

The sound is primarily Ainu-Reggae, but also but displays touches of surf-rock ("Topattumi"), Japanese classical/festival music ("East of Kunashiri”), and Afropop (6/8-“Topattumi” , triplet- “Nehikorachi”, & clave-“Matna Rera”). Overall, the Oki Dub Band’s sound can be favorably compared to the Malian/surf-rock outfit “Toubab Krewe” or the Tuareg rock group “Tiniwaren.” Accordingly Oki Dub Band have been the sweethearts of world music festivals incuding WOMAD.

The female “Marewrew” Ainu a-cappella group who joined Oki Dub for this performance were stunning, employing hyponotic canon singing, and evoking Bulgarian choir singing. The concert was divided into two sections: one where Oki Dub Band provided tasteful backing for Marewrew’s traditional Ainu songs, and the second half that was primarily Oki Dub Band.

Bottom line, Oki Dub Band is a must see, and a prime example of how wonderful indigenous fusion music can be!

Check out Oki Dub Band’s cd’s at

http://www.tonkori.com/

http://www.farsidemusic.com/acatalog/OKI.html

See a streaming video of Oki Dub Ainu Band & Marewrew at the Kennedy Center (2/08).

Mamadou and Vanessa

By Marc Bruner

Mamadou Sidibe played a groundbreaking role in transforming Malian popular music. He was one of the first to break with tradition by adopting the now-widely used kamalen n'goni, a lute-harp-like instrument that exudes a deep, soulful sound. The kamalen n'goni was formed by adding a couple of strings to the traditional hunter's lute, the dozon n'goni, to expand the instrument's range and to give it a more varied and open sound. Mamadou also inspried Malian musicians to sing about everyday life, instead of traditional spiritual and hunters' songs.

Mamadou now lives in California with his wife, Vanessa, a talented and accomplished musician in her own right. Together, they produce music that is at once profound and bluesy, but also remarkably soothing and uplifting. Their album Nacoma is a pure delight, offering listeners a fresh and vibrant take on West African traditions. In 2006, the pair were honored with awards at the Independent Music Awards and the Billboard World Music Songwriting Contest.

I saw them live last night in Berkeley and it was a fantastic performance -- hours of music that nourished my soul and got me out of my chair and onto the dancefloor. The best part was watching Mamadou on his knees jam away on one of his beloved instruments, which was wrapped in the colors of the Malian flag. Not a scene I will soon forget.

For more about Mamadou and Vanessa, click here or here or here.

Stop The War with Afrobeat

Chopteeth hosts FUNK FOR PEACE event

The Rock And Roll Hotel
Washington, DC

Friday, October 19th

Show supports Iraq Veterans Against the War
With special guests Head-Roc and DJ Nitekrawler

Chopteeth Afrofunk Big Band hosts “Funk For Peace” on Friday, October 19th at The Rock And Roll Hotel. Two dollars of every ticket sold will go to the DC Chapter of Iraq Veterans Against the War. Veterans will be at the show to provide first-hand information from Iraq.

“If we leave it up to the politicians, our troops in Iraq are never going to come home,” says Geoff Millard, President of the DC Chapter of Iraq Veterans Against The War (IVAW). “So we have to make it happen. We have to take charge of our democracy and end the war. IVAW is not waiting for an election to end the war.”

Funk For Peace will be an opportunity to get down with some of the most exciting dance music DC has to offer, while at the same time supporting expanded veterans benefits and a withdrawal of US soldiers from Iraq.

Chopteeth’s 14 musicians will deliver their celebrated blend of Afrobeat, West African funk, highlife and rumba. Hailed as “one of DC’s funkiest bands” by Washington Post music critic David Malitz, Chopteeth’s music is infused with the peace-and-justice spirit of Nigerian human rights activist and musician Fela Kuti.

Chopteeth will be joined by Head-Roc, the Mayor of DC Hip Hop, known for his positive, politically-conscious message as well as his profound groove. DJ Nitekrawler will also be spinning his special selections from his ridiculously wild funk, soul, and afrobeat dance party.

The Rock And Roll Hotel is located at 1353 H Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Contact The Rock And Roll Hotel at 202-388-7625. The show is for all ages and doors open at 8:30PM. Admission is $12.

Can't make the show? You can still make a donation to The Iraq Veterans Against The War.

Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble at Southpaw Oct 4th

By Robert Fox

The dynamic Brooklyn Afrobeat squad Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble are about to bust out with a new CD! Titled “PDP (President Dey Pass),” it’s sure to plow new ground, given the massively funky groove the band has been laying down in their celebrated live shows.

Akoya features an all-star lineup of musicians, and is led by Kaleta, who spent 10 years as a singer and conga player with Fela’s legendary Africa 80 group. Kaleta also toured with King Sunny Ade, Lauryn Hill and Femi Kuti.

Characterized by smart, well-organized arrangements, giant horns and profoundly funky rhythms, Akoya hits Afrobeat hard with the fat part of the bat. The band offers up a wealth of original material along with new interpretations of Fela classics. I’ve been a fan for years, and it’s great to witness the ongoing success of the group.

Definitely check out Akoya's website for the preview tracks from the new CD---these tunes demonstrate the dense, booty-shaking groove that you’ve come to expect from Akoya: JéJé L'Aiyé, B.F.B.F., Oluya and Fela Dey.

And if you live in the New York City area, don’t miss the big show that Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble has planned for this Thursday, October 4th at Southpaw in Brooklyn. They’ll be joined by DJ Nickodemus (of Turntables on the Hudson) and it’s guanteed to be a memorable evening.

You can also pick up Akyoa’s first CD here. Titled “Introducing Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble,” it’s highly recommended!

The "Son" And The "Father"

By Marc Bruner

It just doesn't get any better than this - sitting in the open air under the beautiful California sky watching a fantastic double-bill of African music, with Vieux Farka Toure opening for Toumani Diabate. What an exciting and memorable show!

Vieux, the immensely talented son of the late Malian musical giant Ali Farka Toure, put on a mesmerizing performance of electric guitar-based blues and African rock. African music lovers delighted in the 2006 release of Vieux's excellent debut album, but as Banning Eyre (senior editor of afropop.org) explains, "as great as the recording is, it in no way prepared me for the charisma, chops, and overall showmanship of the young man himself."

All Music Guide explains, Vieux's music "is such a triumph in every way that the question isn't whether he will carry on the legacy, but rather just how much further he will take it." As a special treat, the legendary guitarist Mama Sissoko was part of Vieux's band, adding wisdom and experience (and another wickedly talented guitar player) to Vieux's youthful exuberance.

Toumani Diabate and his band were no less impressive, blending tradition and modernity in a captivating big band sound. Toumani is not only one of the world's very greatest kora players, but is also a tireless innovator and an extremely entertaining showman. At one point, he gave a kora lesson to the audience, showing how to play the bassline and melody while improvising, all at the same time.

When I first heard a CD of Toumani playing the kora, I wrongly thought it was several different musicians, not figuring it was just one lone master doing three things at once. And with his 10 other supremely talented band-members, Toumani created a veritable wall of sounds and rythms that had the crowd dancing and smiling ear to ear.

The pairing of these two great artists is especially fitting, given Toumani's groundbreaking collaboration with Vieux's father Ali before his death, as well as Toumani's contributions to Vieux's own album. Toumani even referred to Vieux as his own "son," who was continuing Mali's musical traditions and innovations into the next generation. Apparently, Ali Farka
Toure didn't even want his son Vieux to be a musician, and it was none other than Toumani Diabate who persuaded Ali otherwise. I'm sure thankful for that.

Refugee All-Stars and Aphrodesia Bring Message of Peace

By Marc Bruner

Don't miss Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars, who are currently touring after the 2006 release of their inspiring first CD "Living Like a Refugee." I recently saw them in San Francisco, and the show was positively electric.

Aphrodesia, a 10+ piece Bay Area band, opened with a great set of funky music, blending Afrobeat, highlife and funk with a colorful and delightfully irreverent stage presence. Their music is politically charged, but also incredibly fun and entertaining, and everyone was dancing. I couldn't help myself and just had to pick up one of their CDs.

By the time the Refugee All-Stars hit the stage, the place was packed and ready to burst. The All-Stars, who are the subject of a remarkable documentary film airing on public television, fled Sierra Leone during the country's decade-long civil war and formed a band in a refugee camp in neighboring Guinea. They sing about the atrocities of war and the brutal violence of oppression, but their reggae-inspired music is unswervingly uplifting, transforming unspeakable horrors into gorgeous, soothing melodies. Especially in these difficult times, their simple onstage message to the crowd should not go unnoticed: "Peace to Sierra Leone, peace to Africa, peace to the United States, peace for everyone."

More on the Refugee All-Stars here.

Fela Documentary Featured By Human Rights Watch

By Robert Fox

Check it out: the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival is featuring Dan Ollman's new documentary on Fela Kuti, entitled "Suffering and Smiling." The documentary will be shown four times this week at the Walter Reade Theatre and is presented in association with the always inspiring Film Aid International. Here's more from Human Rights Watch:

Focusing on the legendary African singer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti and his son Femi, Suffering and Smiling depicts the impact of their politically charged music. Following Nigeria's independence in 1960, Fela used his songs to speak out against the country's corrupt leaders. Since independence the military and political elite have enriched themselves by allowing Nigeria's oil and natural resources to be stripped by multinational corporations with little benefit to ordinary Nigerians. Fela gave voice to Nigeria's disenfranchised underclass and sang of a free and united Africa. Upon his death in 1997, Femi has continued his father's legacy. Equally passionate and charismatic, he sings about the dire situation in his country, asks why the world's most resource-rich continent has the poorest people, and struggles to maintain a vision of better days ahead for the common people of Nigeria.

SHOWTIMES: Wed June 20: 2PM
Fri June 22: 4
Sat June 23: 9
Sun June 24: 1:30

Running from June 15 to 28 at the Walter Reade Theater, the 18th edition of the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival features 21 films and three shorts from 17 countries and includes 16 New York premieres. Tickets for the 2007 Human Rights Watch International Film Festival are available at both the Walter Reade Theater box office (212)875-5600 and online at http://www.filmlinc.com/.

Fela fans and anyone who supports human rights struggles will definitely want to check this film out. Alternative Film Guide adds a highly postive review:

Dan Ollman’s atmospheric Suffering and Smiling highlights the situation in Nigeria. Lone voices cry out against the injustices suffered by the general population while the country’s rulers maintain a culture of corruption, self-gratification, and ruthless domination of the people they purport to serve. Suffering and Smiling takes an unusual approach to the problem, as the vitality of at least one segment of Nigeria’s cultural history is expressed in the film through the words of African singer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who started singing about Nigeria’s problems following the country’s independence in 1960, his son Femi, and their family...Suffering and Smiling also shows that many Nigerians are deeply concerned with the country’s sociopolitical situation, and are committed to bringing that issue out into the open regardless of the dangers involved. The film’s music is particularly effective. With its unique lyrics (that defy "classical" musical structure), the singers and their fellow musicians manage to express their strongest views on Nigeria’s political climate with unequivocal clarity.

Any AfroFunk Forum readers out there who can share a review of the film?

SUNSPLASH D.C.

By David McDavitt

The Kennedy Center is hip. Its weekly “Millennium Stage” series brings diverse, quality music to the people free of charge. On Tuesday, June 19, 2007, the Millennium Stage featured a marathon reggae concert on the order of the beloved Jamaican “Sting,” “Rebel Salute,” and “Sunsplash” events. The Kennedy Center, in conjunction with the political “Conference on the Caribbean,” hosted the “Metro World Concert”: Plunky & Oneness (Afro-fusion band from Richmond, Virginia), the Skatalites (Jamaican Ska, Rocksteady, and Roots Rock Reggae pioneers), Jimmy Cliff (Ska, Rocksteady, Reggae star of the film, “Harder they Come”), Shaggy (US based, Jamaican-born Dancehall, “Boombastic” & “It wasn’t Me”), and Wyclef Jean (Haitian, ex-Fugees, hiphop).

Jah set the stage aptly: it was 96 degrees, and viscously humid. Surrounded by brothers & sisters from Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad, the D.R., one could imagine they were dancing and sweating under the Caribbean moon. The event attracted all the finest people: West Indian dignitaries including Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller graced the Metro World Concert with their presence. Unbelievably popular, the over-capacity crowd filled the main plaza, wrapped around the back terrace (where they listened on satellite PA systems), AND spilled into an indoor theater area where people watched live video feed!

Plunky & Oneness, led by saxophonist J. Plunky Branch, and featuring Ghanaian ex-royal Ashanti drummer Asante Okyerema [Paul Simon’s, “Graceland”] whirled through a wicked tight Afro-fusion set, flaunting an engaging synthesis of Afrobeat, funk, Go-go, smooth jazz, and reggae. Pocket was the order of the day, served up by a band of master-musicians & superior writing.

Next came the legendary Skatalites. Though sporting only one original member (reggae drum set pioneer Lloyd Knibb), the band was true to form, demonstrating, with the calm authority of elder guild masters, the loose jazzy authentic foundations of ska, rocksteady, and roots reggae. The Skatalites’ fiery set inspired many audience members to rise & dance. Knibb’s syncopated bass drum work, upbeat hi-hat skanking, rim clicks, and clave template became the basis of reggae drumming. Interestingly, the bass player used a fretted electric bass, instead of the normal upright double bass, but approximated its round attack via technique & effects. Singer Doreen Shaffer joined the Skatalites for several numbers, and they ended with the ever popular, “Guns of Navarone,” made especially funky by the slightly overemphasized catchy bass guitar line.

Shaggy was the next up. A crossover dancehall artist, Shaggy knows how to work the crowd, and his stage banter was as entertaining as his music. His band was hot, deftly employing both triggers/loops, and live playing into each song. He powered through his ragamuffin classics like “Boombastic,” his dancehall remake of the ska classic, “Oh Carolina,” and slack anthem, “It Wasn’t Me.” He aggressively appealed to the ladies in the audience, exposing his six pack abs, subtlety storing his SM58 mic in his waistband, repeating the mantra, “men stupid, women smart,” and recounting his manly exploits. Somehow he made it all seem charming & amusing.

Jimmy Cliff’s appearance was a surprise (apparently a last minute addition). Honestly, I was not expecting to love Jimmy's set- I often find his performances a little too sappy, light, and outdated. I was pleasantly surprised. No performer this day had more guttural energy, vocal power (his scream-singing distorted the mic at times), nor timely sound. He sang the obligatory hits including “Wonderful World, Beautiful People,” “Many Rivers to Cross,” and “You Can Get It If You Really Want It” but also performed less-known crowd pleasers like the catchy ballad-mantra, “Save our Planet Heart.” Brilliantly, Cliff ended his set with an undeniably powerful, straight-up nyahbingi song, with only percussion accompaniment. Ras Tafari!

The show culminated with the pop hiphop stylings of Haitian immigrant Wyclef Jean. While expertly rendered by an all-star band, Jean’s set was comprised almost entirely of cover songs (for example, by Bob Marley [Redemption Song], House of Pain [Jump Around], and even an old Fugees number). Given Jean’s critically acclaimed original music, and novel approach to hiphop, this was a puzzling choice. Jean was however, well received by the crowd.

For those seeking more Caribbean cultural and music, attend the DC Caribbean Carnival (http://www.dccaribbeancarnival.com/). Included will be steel pan, soca, Reggae, Carnival masqueraders, and delectables. June 23-24, 2007, along Georgia Avenue from Missouri Avenue to Barry Place.

Irie!

AfroFunk Forum Benefits SaveDarfur.Org

by David Font-Navarrete

A very special shout to everybody that came out to make the AfroFunk Forum event on January 18, 2007. The proceeds were donated to the Save Darfur Coalition, a truly worthy cause. We packed DC9 and had a tremendous dance party with Elikeh, DJ Thick, and Chopteeth. We also raised and donated a substantial amount of cash to help the people of Darfur. Thank you to everyone that came out ... Stay tuned!