Covering African, world & roots music
Photos, events, news & comment from in and around Toronto
Website & photos by John Leeson.  email: info@to-music.ca

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UPCOMING EVENTS (updated July 28/10)

Note: because of the length of the events page, I've noted listings that are new or updated within the past week in red. Click the link above for a lengthy listing of concerts and shows.

The next week or two has some excellent and varied shows, including:

• Caribana & lots of related shows. Watch for Queen Ifrica at Haboufront
• Seu Jorge, Shelby Lynne, Holmes Brothers next week
• The weekend of Aug 6-8 has a raft of music, including Kobo Town, Mamaya (concert and festival), Tamsir Seck's Senegalese Xawaré, plus a fascinating "What Is Classical Weekend" at Harbourfront
• A lot more going in August
• Listings for fall (and spring)

Eliades Ochoa, the Cuban guitarist (Cuarteto Patria, Buena Vista Social Club), who sold out two nights in April at the Royal Theatre will be performing in the more intimate Lula Lounge on Aug. 20. Show details TBA.  A rare opportunity to see this great musician in a club setting

However, the big news concerning him

As noted here previously when discussing the ngoni player Bassekou Kouyaté, the project that eventually evolved into the Buena Vista Social Club originally had much different intentions. The plan was to connect top African and Cuban musicians: Eliades Ochoa, Malian guitarist Djelimady Tounkara and Bassekou Kouyaté. Unfortunately, passport mixups prevented the Africans from travelling to Cuba, and the idea changed to that of recording many of the older Cuban musicians.

13 years later, they finally did get together, and a CD, AfroCubism will be out later this year on the World Circuit label, also produced by the BVSC's producer, Nick Gold. It will feature not only the the original 3, but also plus kora master Toumani Diabaté, and one of West Africa's greatest voices, Kasse Mady Diabaté along with other African and Cuban musicians.

They will be touring North America this November. Most details and dates are not yet announced. No sign yet of them coming to Toronto, but tickets are now on sale for a Nov. 5 Montreal show, and Nov. 9 in New York.

I already have my tickets for the New York performance!

Some info at www.afrocubism.com, and a video of their first recording is here. (This song is definitely of the "cubism" flavour).

Basssekou Kouyaté, Luminato, Jun. 12, 2010

PHOTOS (updated Dec. 28/09)

2010 NOTE: I have quite a few photos from 2010 shows, but haven't had the opportunity to post them most of them yet. To date,

Angelique Kidjo, Toronto Jazz Festival, July 1

Bassekou Kouyaté & Ngoni Ba with Béla Fleck, Luminato Festival, June 12

Various videos posted at www.youtube.to-music.ca

For older photos, see PHOTOS link above.

Some 2009 photos include:
Mahmoud Ahmed, Choclo y la Orgia Cosmica (David West) - "Africa Meets First Nations", Oliver Mtukudzi, Iris DeMent, Madagascar Slim, Getatchew Mekuria & The Ex, Brazilian Day (with Carlinhos Brown), some Afrofest highlights, Femi Kuti, Anacona, Masaisai, "The World of Slide Guitar" (Luminato); Grupo Vocal Desandann, Habib Koité and Béla Fleck's Africa Project with Toumani Diabaté, D'Gary, Vusi Mahlasela and Anania Ngoglia.

Hundreds more, including Salif Keita, Baaba Maal, Youssou n'Dour, Seun Kuti, Hugh Masakela, Orchestra Baobab, Billy Joe Shaver, Mighty Sparrow, Bettye LaVette, Jamaica to Toronto, Amadou & Mariam, Tinariwen, African Guitar Summit, Bembeya Jazz, Ba Cissoko, Wanda Jackson, K'Naan, Los Munequitos de Matanzas,  and ...

Click here for a full list of all artists' photos
 

VIDEOS (updated May 11/10)

So far in 2010, I haven't had the chance to post any performance photos, but do have some videos of recent concerts posted on above page including:

Carolina Chocolate Drops, Eliades Ochoa, Tilahun Gessesse tribute, Tarig Abubakar tribute,  Habib Koité, Oliver Mtukudzi (with his late son, Sam), Tinariwen, Huun Huur Tu, Mahmoud Ahmed.

See  www.youtube.to-music.ca

 

ARTICLES, ARTISTS & LIVE REVIEWS (updated Nov. 16/09)
Click the link above for some articles, comment, artist profiles, and a few live music reviews.

• The Healing Power of Music: A reminder of the power and spirit of music -- from the Bloor-Yonge Subway Station (Sep. 23/09)
• Buddy Miller: Gradual recognition for the country/Americana singer, guitarist, producer. (June 2/09)
• Award Congratulations: Kiran Ahluwalia, Jayme Stone/Mansa Sissoko, Jane Bunnett (and Grupo Vocal Desandann)
• Béla Fleck's Africa Project: an article on the CD, documentary and tour by the American banjo master with African musicians. Includes photos from an amazing concert in Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.
• RIP, Tlahun Gessese: The great Ethiopian singer dies at the age of 68
• Music and Social change: events, performers, recording helping to push for social and political change
• The "history" of world music. The birth of a sometimes-controversial term.
• Music Reads: noting interesting books, magazines and other sources.

A few older articles:

• Kemer Yousef Toronto singer returns to Ethiopia for the first time in 24 years. He's now a star in the country he fled. Watch a video from his triumphant Addis Ababa concert.
• Solomon Linda, Wimoweh & The Lion Sleeps at Night: the sad story of the most popular song in African History
• K'Naan: Sending a different message? (Dec. 06/Jan. 07). Does K'Naan's video send a new, disturbing message about violence?
• Chuck Berry: The Brown Eyed Handsome Man turns 80 (Oct. 06)
• Solomon Burke: (July/06): A great story from his Massey Hall concert
• Tarig Abubakar: A memorial night for the late Sudanese-Canadian musician, Jan. 20, 2006
• Bettye LaVette: "The Greatest Unknown Soul Singer in the World". A review of her Nov. 28/05 show at Lee's Palace.
• Billy Joe Shaver:  "A Life in Music" (Jul. 21/05). An appreciation of the music and life of the great American Honky Tonk Hero poet
• Wanda Jackson: "Rock On, Wanda!" (Oct. 18/05) The Queen of Rockabilly rocked The Cadillac Lounge on Oct. 14/05. A report on the first of her two nights, some background on her, and why we should help get her into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

2008 REVIEWED (Updated May 7)
A three-part section:

My picks from 2008: My favourite CD's & live shows of the year.

CD's of the year:
Picks from numerous other websites & music critics from around the world. Updated with Songlines Award winners, plus Grammy and Juno winners. Congratulations to Jayme Stone and Mansa Sissoko for their well-deserved World Music Album of the Year Award for Africa to Appalachia which is gaining notice around the world.

Also to Kiran Ahulawalia who won the Songlines (U.K.) world music award for "Newcomer of the Year". Of course, she's no newcomer to those of us here.

RIP 2008: Notes & videos on some of the great musical figures who passed away in 2008.

LINKS (updated Dec. 11/08)

NOTE: As of December, 2008, this page is being updated for the first time in quite a while. Please bear with me as links get added, updated and removed.

Music links in Toronto, around the world, plus Internet radio and other music sources on the Net. Includes audio links to virtually all of the 2004 and 2005 U.K. Womad concerts!

VIDEOS (Updated Mar. 19/09)

This page contains a collection of some of the best video (and some audio) clips I've come across recently.

New: Taraf de Haidkouks, Buddy Miller, Emmylou Harris, Mandékalou, Franco, Fela Kuti (1971), Wanda Jackson, Ronnie Hawkins, Beatles, Ned Sublette, Big Joe Williams, early Salif Keita, Tinariwen documentary, Madagascar guitar, Muddy Waters, Miriam Makeba, Odetta & lots more.

REPORT FROM LIBYA

The photo-journal of my March/April 2006 trip to Libya and the solar eclipse -- including a midnight Sahara concert -- is posted on a separate website.

Coming: report & photos from my return visit in 2007.