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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to the T. O. Music Pix email newsletter:
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Update (Nov 19)
Because of expected time constraints, most of the above pages have not been
updated recently. I am now beginning to add new items. Please stay tuned over
the next few days.
About Libya
Newsletter readers know that over the past
few months, I have largely been focused on the crisis in Libya. I have
some background and updates posted here:www.libyatoronto.com. My video
record of many of this year's Libyan events in support of the people of
Libya is posted here
If you like the kind of music covered in this website, click the link above
for more information about this email newsletter, to subscribe, or to see
past issues. See www.blog.to-music.ca for
recent postings. Some recent items:
Most recent newsletters have linked to
blog posts.Check there
for updates
133: Jul. 21, 2011 1. On Twitter
2.
Music events this weekend
3.
Music Notes:
Video from Bombino & Thomas Mapfumo shows at the Lula
RIP Jerry Ragovoy, songwriter & producer. Audio tribute.
Congotronics vs Rockers & Peyton CD tribute to Patton
4.Afrofest Replay:
video of Dizu Plaatjies at Afrofest & CIUT audio of festival
performance
"An evening (and afternoon) for Bazou": The second
annual fundraising night organized by Njacko Backo & Valery
Woloshyn for the school Njacko attended in Bazou
1. Event updates
2. New T.O. Music Pix web pages
3. Toronto Radio: the importance of CIUT & CKLN
4. Muslim World Music Day: April 12
5. Toronto Rock & Roll Stories: great documentary on
Toronto's rock & roll scene in the 50's & 60's
1. Save Afrofest in Queen's Park 2. Event notes: Ethio T.O, Okavango Orchestra, Johnny Clegg,
Femi Kuti & Tony Allen! 3. Libya: latest news, rally in Toronto, Libyan music
1. Website notes
2. Events: Aster Aweke in town this
Saturday; other upcoming shows 3. Other - Full Afrocubism concert video available
- History for Music Lovers
- Music Planet: new BBC radio show from around the world
- Kiran Ahluwalia & Tinariwen.
1. T.O. Music Pix update 2. Grupo Vocal Desandann:
success on its way? A roadblock.
3. Other notes: Calle 54 on TV tonight; Afrofest video;
Franco on radio; Oxford American music issue
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 ...
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.
Mansa Sissoko, Jayme Stone, Hugh's Room, June 2008
2008 REVIEWED
(Updated May 7) A three-part
section:
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.
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!
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.
Eclipse photo, March 26, 2006 by Brendan
Seaton
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.
