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In this issue:
1. Toronto music folks - news
2. Upcoming event highlights
3. Rhythm & The Jews film series
4. Africa & The Blues interview
5. Womad 2006 online
6. Video updates
 

1. TORONTO MUSIC FOLKS
A few notes about some people well-known in the Toronto African and world music community:

Nadine McNulty: Wishing her a speedy and complete  recovery from a recent fall in which she broke her leg. Nadine is the Artistic Director of Music Africa and co-host of Karibuni, the African music show on CIUT. She tells me she will be able to make the Ba Cissoko show on May 11!

Njacko Backo: well known drummer and kalimba player will be marrying his partner Valerie Wolshyn on stage at the Muhtadi International Drum Festival on June 2 in Queens Park. Best wishes to both! (Photo of Njacko & Val from his CD Release show last June).

Ken Stowar: Congratulations: Sunday, April 29, will be the 18th anniversary of "Global Rhythms", his radio show on CIUT. Tune in that day from 3-6pm. (Well, I suggest tuning in to that show any Sunday. I've been listening to it for most of those years).

Steve Balla: Long-time host of "All Over the Map" (CKLN, Fridays 11-2pm) will soon be leaving the program -- his last show is July 6. Sorry to see him go, but I send him thanks for the years of eclectic music, energy and great vibes he's sent out on the airwaves, which are appreciated by all who love great music of any and all styles and origins.

He is giving away a number of CD's as a going-away gift. Send a postcard to CKLN Radio, c/o All Over The Map "The Last Draw", 55 Gould St.(2nd Floor) Toronto, ON - M5B 1E9. The draw is Jun. 22, noon.

 

2. EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Some upcoming shows and events of note. See http://www.to-music.ca/events.htm for details on these and many more shows

Note: Konono #1, scheduled for May 1 at the Phoenix has been CANCELLED.

Tonight (Apr. 26): Jay Douglas with Sly & Robbie. Douglas is a giant in Toronto's music history, and star of the recent "Jamaica to Toronto" concert & CD. Tonight he teams up with the legendary Jamaican performers and producers Sly & Robbie for the CD Release of his Touch of Magic. See last week's 4-star review in NOW. The Revival (783 College St). $30 door. Doors 7pm.

Apr. 27: Haale at the Lula Lounge
Small World presents the Iranian-American singer performing a collage of Persian, trance, East/West. Note: CKLN's Steve Balla will interview Halle on his radio show at noon, and will also have a pair of tickets to give away. After her perfomance: a Persian/Salsa dance party starting at 11pm

Apr. 27: Muhtadi International Drumming Festival Benefit
This year's annual festival will be held June 1-3 in Queen's Park, and is free as always. Friday night will be a benefit and Latin Dance Party with Lady Son and Ariculo Veinte, and performances by various groups.

Berkeley Church, 315 Queen E. at Parliament. 7pm-2am. $20 door.

May 3-20: The 5th annual Lulaworld Festival.
What would we do without the Lula Lounge? A great venue, with great eclectic music. See my event page for more shows, or www.lula.ca for all the details. Just a few of the highlights:
 - May 3: Bollywood Fever
 - May 4: Maracutu & Bombolesse "Brazillian Night"
 - May 9: Odessa/Havana with David Buchbinder and Hilario Duran
plus: May 11: Ba Cissoko (Kikijiko opening).
This will be THE African music show of the spring. The title of his newest CD, Electric Griot Land is a great description of his music. Kora music unlike any other. Don't wait for it to sell out!

May 4: Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, Trinity-St. Paul's
Tom Wilson, Colin Linden and Stephen Fearing will all be on Steve Balla's "All Over the Map", CKLN 88.1 at 11:15am the same day. Tickets and/or CD giveaways!

Other shows:
- May 5, choose between Rita Chiarelli at Hugh's Room; Digging Roots at The Silver Dollar; Adam Solomon & Tikisa at Safari Village and Sonny Rollins at Massey Hall
- May 8/9: Maria Muldaur at Hugh's Room
- May 11: Rasselas & Helena at The Cottage
- May 12: Kiran Ahluwalia at the Enwave Theatre (Harbourfront)
- May 22: Bo Diddley (!) at The Phoenix
- Jun. 21: Manu Chao at Kool Haus. Might sell out.

Down the line... some events and festivals
Jun 1-10: Luminato Festival http://luminato.ca/
Jun. 22- Jul 1: Toronto Jazz Festival lineup now announced http://www.torontojazz.com
Jun 4- Sep. 3: Harbourfront's summer "World Routes" weekend themes have been announced

July: Looks like another great music month. A few gems to look forward to: Mavis Staples has just released a great new album;  Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective are getting terrific reviews; Toumani Diabate and his Symmetric Orchestra (Jul 5) will be a don't-miss show!

 

3. RHYTHM & JEWS FILM SERIES
A small encore to last year's successful mini-fest tracing the connections between Jewish and African-American music. Part of the Toronto Jewish Film Festival. This year's films:

May 10: Porgy & Bess: An American Voice (1998). A documentary narrated by Ruby Dee includes re-enacments and archival clips from many past performances featuring a long list of performers. 4pm. Al Green Theatre, Bloor & Spadina

May 11: Paul Robeson (1979). A rare recording of James Earl Jones' one-man show on the singer/political activist. 4pm. Al Green Theatre, Bloor & Spadina

May 12: Paris Blues (1961) starring Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier, Joanne Woodward, Diahann Carroll and Louis Armstrong, with score by Duke Ellington. 10pm. Al Green Theatre, Bloor & Spadina

May 12: Gotta Serve Somebody: The Gospel Songs of Bob Dylan (2005). The making of the album, featuring Jerry Wexler, Shirley Caesar, Aaron Neville, Fairfield Four, Mighty Clouds Of Joy, the Chicago Mass Choir". Midnight, Bloor Cinema, Bloor & Bathurst.

4. AFRICA AND THE BLUES

An extremely interesting interview with Gerhard Kubik, author of the book Africa and the Blues (2000) done by Banning Eyre of Afropop Worldwide. Kubik is a professor of Cultural Anthropology at the University of Vienna and has been researching African and American music for almost 50 years.

 

5. WOMAD 2006 ONLINE

While updating the website last night, I was listening to Djelimady Tounkara's (of the Super Rail Band) performance at the 2006 WOMAD Festival (U.K.). I saw him perform live once -- in a too-short set at the Finger Lakes Festival in NY State (2003). What a superb guitarist... when will he get to Toronto??

The BBC website has audio of the full performances of him, the Mahotella Queens, Toumani Diabate, Salif Keita, Emmanuel Jal, Anoushka Shankar, Femi Kuti, Ska Cubana and others.

 

6. VIDEO UPDATES - Disappearing music

I've added a number of video links on the website -- and corrected or replaced many that YouTube has changed or removed. YouTube seems to be busy pulling videos, so it's hard to keep up. Check YouTube (or my video page) now before more disappear!

Recent clips posted include: Mavis Staples; Andy Palacio & The Garifuna Collective; Ray Wylie Hubbard (explaining the origins of "Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother"); Mohammed Rafi and one of the most amazing dance performances you'll ever see; The Zimmers -- the world's oldest rock & roll band perform "My Generation"; Mahmoud Ahmed.

John Leeson
www.to-music.ca

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