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This issue has a couple of new
events, as well as request from a local musician.
1. Jose Chameleone: Sun.
Aug. 5
2. Katenen "Cheka" Diobaté:
-- Mamaya Festival, Aug. 11
-- Looking for a videographer
3. Most influential DJ on the planet?
4. Video gems
1. JOSE CHAMELEONE: Aug. 5
Jose Chameleone, a hugely
popular singer in Uganda will be playing in town Sunday night.
He was originally scheduled to play last weekend, but the show
was postponed.
He will be at Casa das Beiires,
34 Caledonia Rd. at St. Clair W. Doors 6, show 9. Tickets $25/30
available At Bilan Restaurant, 183 Dundas East, or 647 989-8745.
Info also at 416 827-8665. Produced by
Zink Productions.
A profile of Chameleone is on
CNN's "Inside
Africa". His profile is about 1 minute in to the clip. At
2:40, there is a piece on Vieux Farka Touré, including some
footage of Ali Farka Touré recording his last songs for his
son's debut CD.
2. KATENEN "CHEKA" DIOUBTÉ
a) Mamaya Festival (Aug. 11)
Local Guinean griot, Katenen "Cheka"
Dioubaté has been making quite an impression in the relatively
short time she has been performing in Toronto. She performs with
a backing band, "Snowgriots" made up of some excellent local
African musicians, including Kobena Acqua-Harrison, Tamsir Seck
and Kassoum Diamoutene.
She and the band opened for
Toumani Diabaté last month at Harbourfront, (my photos of her
set are posted
here), and they have been making a number of performances
around town. (I saw her perform two days in a row this week).
Next weekend, she brings the
traditional Guinean "Mamaya" festival to Toronto. Sat. Aug. 11,
2-8pm at the Regent Park Community Centre, 203 Sackville St.
Free. "Everyone and all ages welcome". Dress code: "Baby blue
(or white)". For information, see her notes about Mamaya below.
(Taken from her MySpace
page), and see various YouTube videos of the festival in
Guinea
here.
WHAT IS MAMAYA?
Mamaya is an all-ages dance, a song and an event originating
from the city of Kankan, the second largest in Guinée (W.
Africa). It has spread to Mali Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cote
D’Ivoire and now Canada. In Guinée, Mamaya is traditionally
celebrated once a year at Ramadan, bringing everyone
together to celebrate the beautiful nature of their culture,
in happiness, peace and joy. Selected musicians will gather
in a chosen outdoor area. The public participates altogether
by becoming dancers, each one wearing a similar type of
light blue coloured clothing called bakha (sky blue). In our
Canadian version, some people may choose to wear sky blue
dress or white. This shows that every person is the same,
united and equal: women and men, rich and poor. It also
looks beautiful and tells everyone that something great is
going on!
With
Mamaya there’s no racism or discrimination. We are one
people, no matter where we are from and on this occasion, we
unite different cultures and think in new ways. This Mamaya
in Canada occurs during summer and is a non-denominational,
family event. Mamaya will be free of charge. At one side
will be a stage for the musicians with a central area for
dancing. People may sit or stand at the sides surrounding
the dance area. Instructors will show you how to dance
Mamaya and doumdoumba. Those familiar with the event and the
traditional role of a griot/musicians, will bring money to
“spray” them in thanks and reciprocity for good mention and
blessings.
b) Looking
for a videographer
Cheka is
looking for a videographer to film the festival. If you're
interested, or know someone who might be available, please reply
to this newsletter.
3. Most influential DJ
on the planet?
Well, that
may be a stretch, but there is some reasoning behind the
subheading of this article from the U.K. Daily Telegraph.
It's a
profile of Charlie Gillett, who has been mentioned several times
in this newsletter (and I posted an
appreciation of him
when he gave up his old Radio London show, "Sound of the World",
which I used to listen to on the Internet almost every week).
You can
still hear him on the BBC, but his current show just doesn't
have the eclecticism -- or just plain fun -- of the old Saturday
night show.
Read the
article
here. Charlie's website is
http://www.charliegillett.com/
4. A couple of gems
from my video page.
Also, photos of Billy Joe
Shaver's July 23 show at Hugh's Room are posted
here.
At any Shaver show, it's almost as enjoyable watching him mix
with the fans afterwards as seeing him on stage. Billy Joe has a
legion of devoted fans.
John Leeson
www.to-music.ca
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