I'm planning to print a number
of 2010
calendars featuring some of my concert photographs taken over
the past few years. Photos will be 8x10.
These will be available for
newsletter subscribers/website visitors at cost (probably in the
$15-$20 range). When I have the photos ready, I'll post smaller
versions of them online for your to decide if you're interested,
and will send out an email update then.
fRoots awards and
broadcast: The last newsletter (#95, Nov. 26) linked to the nominees
for fRoots magazine's annual best albums awards, and
indicated the winners would be played on the BBC Radio 3
radio show "World on 3" hosted that day by Lopa Kothari and
fRoots editor Ian Anderson. I said the show would be
broadcast Nov. 27, and available online for a week. I jumped
the gun by a week. The broadcast date was Fri. Dec. 4, and
it will be available online until Dec. 11.
Album of the year was Staff Benda Bilili's Très Très Fort
and Topic Records' 70th Anniversary set Three Score And Ten
won both Best Re-issue/ Compilation and Best Packaged Album.
Listen here.
Note: Staff Benda Bilili will be the in-studio guests next week
(beginning Dec. 11) on the same radio show with host Charlie
Gillett.
Afropop lists Afropop Worldwide lists its
top 30 CDs of the year
in four different categories.
(The picks include two Canadians: K'Naan and Alex Cuba).
The
150 most-played world music albums as compiled by
European radio DJ's. (Top 2: Oumou Sangaré's Seya and
Staff Benda Billi's Tres Tres Fort).
Grammy nominations are out, but their relevance is as
questionable as ever. I was particularly "impressed" by the
absence of Buddy Miller from the American category. Buddy
won four awards from the Americana Music Association this
year, but no matter how widely he's actually recognized
within that field, doesn't have the "star" factor of the
Grammy nominees: Bob Dylan, Levon Helm, Willie Nelson/Asleep
at the Wheel, Wilco and Lucinda Williams.
No doubt many are aware of the
brutality facing many albinos in East Africa. (for example, see
the story, "East
African albinos flee murder, dismemberment" published Nov.
29 in the Toronto Star). Keita, an albino who suffered
rejection himself growing up has created the
Salif Keita Global
Foundation, "for the social integration, protection and fair
treatment of persons with Albinism".
In response to the growing
crisis in East Africa, last month
he joined up with the Red Cross in urging protection for
those in Tanzania and elsewhere who are being killed or maimed
supposedly for their "magical powers".
Keita has also just issued a
new CD,La Différence to help raise funds for the foundation.
To date, it's only been released in Europe and Mali.
Salif has a short North
American tour scheduled next June. Nothing listed in Toronto
yet.
And, in keeping with the "Best
Of" them above, his 2002 release, Moffou is
listed as #9 on The Guardian's list of "Albums of the
Decade".
Photo: Salif Keita, Toronto
Jazz Festival, June 2008
Mahmoud Ahmed
Whether or not you observe Christmas, and if so whether it's of
the Dec. 25 or Jan. 7 variety, Dec. 25 this year will be cause
for African music fans to celebrate, as the legendary Ethiopian
singer returns for his first Toronto concert since... Dec. 25,
2007. See events page for more info, photos and videos.
"Africa Meets First
Nations" with Choclo y la Orgia Cosmic at the Lula Lounge, Sun.
Dec. 6, featuring Ecuadorian guitarist Dave West, along with
Waleed Abdulhamid, Saba Alemayehu, and others.
Three great music veterans in
town Sat. Dec. 5: Cuban Paquito D'Rivera at the Koerner Hall and
bluesman Lucky Peterson at the Silver Dollar, and Leon Redbone
for the first of three nights (5th, 7th, 9th) at Hugh's Room
More happening this month:
Samba Squad Holiday Dance at the Lula; Dr. Draw for 4 nights at
Hugh's Room, Fred Eaglesmith at Hugh's Room
3.