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In this issue:
1. Sudan:
 - A Canadian goes home
 - Emmanuel Jal
 - Kikijiko & Hip Hop for Africa
2. Photos:
 - Tarig Abubakar Tribute (Jan. 20)
 - Horn of Africa (Jan. 28)
3. Texas:
 - Billy Joe Shaver
4. Events update


There may be a large geographic and musical leap in this newsletter, however, there is a common thread: the power of music to heal and give strength in times of struggle, whether in the face of brutal warfare, or personal demons.

I heard an interview Wednesday morning on CBC Radio with author Kurt Vonnegut, who said that although he's a professed agnostic or atheist, he thinks that the proof of God is music. He doesn't know how it works -- but it does -- to relieve and ease pain, fear, and all the negative emotions we face.


1. NOTES FROM AND ABOUT SUDAN

a) GOING HOME
This is a "non-musical" item, but it sets the tone for some of the others to follow.

I recommend John Goddard's excellent article in the Saturday (Jan. 28) Toronto Star concerning Canadian geophysics consultant, Henry Odwar who fled his native Sudan in 1982 with two friends after their political activity had landed them in jail on treason charges. They escaped -- quite possibly avoiding execution -- and eventually they all ended up in Canada, establishing successful careers.

Now, with the long and bloody war in Sudan finally over, Odwar has returned there, but this time as a member of the Sudanese parliament, representing his home village -- "half a million people living in mud-and-grass huts" - and is preparing to help build something out of the devastation the country has been through.

Links:
Star article: http://tinyurl.com/9emht


b) EMMANUEL JAL
Another Sudanese refugee, Jal had been a child soldier (at different times with both sides in the civil war), until he was rescued at the age of 13, and smuggled into a refugee camp in Kenya.

His situation there was desperate and terrifying, but he was able to survive, find strength, and overcome, through his Christian faith, and through the power of music.

To help deal with his experiences, he began writing songs, one of which became a hit in Kenya. Eventually, he ended up recording a hiphop album titled (meaningfully) Ceasefire, with Sudanese oud player Abdel Gadir Salim for the World Music Network label. He's now about to begin a tour of the UK on together with Souad Massi and Amadou & Mariam.

You can hear Jal this week on Charlie Gillett's "Sound of the World" BBC Radio London show (see Links below to listen). He joins Charlie for an hour of "Radio Ping Pong" which always involves Gillett and his guest trading musical selections influenced by each other's choice.

Interestingly, the one piece of music both Jal and Gilllett came prepared to play was K'Naan -- the Toronto-based Somalian hip-hop singer whose music, like Jal's, originates largely in reaction to the terrible price of violence and bloodshed he saw at home in Mogadishu ("the most dangerous city in the world"). You can hear K'Naan in concert this Friday on CBC, and on Feb. 17 in Toronto. (See "Events" at the end of the newsletter).

In a follow-up email to last week's show, Gillett talks about a new category of music: "conscious rap". (Jal and K'Naan met an awards event for conscious rappers in South Africa). Another good local example of conscious rap is the next artist, and the show he will be playing this Friday, Feb. 3.


Links:
 Charlie Gillett  listen live: http://tinyurl.com/create.php
   (Note: Jal joins Charlie about 20 minutes into the show. If you want, you can skip through).
   Gillett's website: http://www.charliegillett.com/

 Emmanuel Jal:
   BBC World Music Awards profile:
   http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/worldmusic/a4wm2006/a4wm_jal.shtml

K'Naan: www.thedustyfoot.com


c) KIKIJIKO
Kikijiko is another Sudanese refugee who performs hiphop born out of the warfare and bloodshed he witnessed. As a child, he fled Sudan with his family to Kenya in 1992, and came to Toronto 2 years ago to study at the University of Toronto. While in Kenya, he wrote a song entitled "Put Your Guns Down" decrying the violence and killing in Sudan. He has just finished recording a new version of the song, using the same title, now focusing on the violence and killing he's observed in Toronto.

He's been getting some radio play recently, and last weekend performed at the Tarig Abubakar tribute show (see "Photos" section below). This Friday night, he'll be performing at the Rivoli as part of the "Hip Hop for Africa" benefit show for the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund and the Canada Africa Partnership on AIDS. (CAPAIDS), and will also perform at Music Africa's "Afri Youth Night" on March 16 at the Lula.

Links:
Hip Hop for Africa: http://www.capaids.org/UpcomingEvents.php



2. PHOTOS
I've added photos from a couple of recent events involving Sudanese and area music

a) TARIG ABUBAKAR MEMORIAL (Jan. 20)
Another native of Sudan, Tarig was a huge figure in African-Canadian music, who died tragically in January, 1998, and a memorial for him, organized by his youngest brother, Mutaz  was held at The Cottage. The evening featured numerous friends paying tribute, and a host of musicians, including Adam Solomon (an original member of the AfroNubians) & Tikisa, Kikijiko, Kamal Tyepalasma, Diana Braithwaite and many others.

Tarig really helped to establish African music in Canada, playing across the country. More important than that, as his friends said from the stage was his dedication to bringing peace and harmony to all; joy he thought would bring races and peoples together, and "unite the hearts of all people".


b) HORN OF AFRICA (Jan 28)
Held at the Glenn Gould Studio theatre, produced by Todd Fraracci, the show starred Canadian singers from Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea, backed by musicians from those and neighbouring countries (plus Canada). Most had not played together before, and despite the geographic closeness, have very different musical approaches. Many of the countries represented on stage in fact, have often been in conflict with each other.

However, again, music united performers and audience into a moving, powerful and joyous experience.

Links
  Photos: www.to-music.ca/photos.htm
  Tarig Abubakar & The AfroNubians Live: a wonderful CD featuring two live performances. You can buy it from CBC Records: http://tinyurl.com/bfx5s

 

And now to leap continents and an ocean:

3. TEXAS / Billy Joe Shaver
One of the singers I most enjoy and respect is the great Texan singer/songwriter Billy Joe Shaver, who played Harbourfront last August.

This week, I discovered a video clip of Shaver being interviewed while he sings and plays some of his songs. It's a casual, relaxed interview originally done on a country music TV station in 1993. Shaver and the interviewer both play acoustic guitars to accompany his singing.

For those who know him or his music, it truly captures a bit of what has attracted us to him; for those who don't, it's an excellent glimpse into his music and life - which are so deeply intertwined..

Shaver's songwriting has been recognized - at least by many in the music business - for over 30 years, but until relatively recently was not able to achieve broader commercial success and recognition. His music achieves its greatness, not just from his word skills, but with so much many of his songs originating from his own life and experiences, the music gains added depth and heart.

The fact that his life at times had been filled with troubles and tragedy, gives the songs additional power to reach us. I have more on his life and music on the website (see Links below), but a brief overview will give an idea.

After a "more than challenging" early life, he finally settled on a music career, and despite recognition from his peers (In 1973, Waylon Jennings recorded an entire album of Shaver songs), his career stalled for almost 20 years, partly as a result of his own serious personal troubles with alcohol, drugs, and a volatile marriage. (He was married three times, all to the same woman).

He finally turned his life around as a result of a revelatory moment recounted in the interview, The first result of which was the song "An Old Chunk of Coal", which later Johnny Cash sang to himself everyday while battling his own demons in drug rehabilitation.

At the time of the interview, (1993), Shaver had just completed an album that was a watershed in his career (Tramp on Your Street) finally resulting in a measure of commercial success and recognition.

However, within a few years he had to endure during a short span of time, the deaths of his mother, wife and only son (who had played with him for years, and died of a drug overdose). Shortly after all this, Shaver had a near fatal heart attack on stage at a club in Texas.

However he continues on with a strength and outlook that can inspire. If he can "try and try again", it should be easier for most others.

Well I went up on the mountain
And I looked down on my life
I had squandered all my money
Lost my son and wife

My heart was filled with sorrow
And I almost took my life
But I found the strength inside me
To give life one more try
-- "Try and Try Again"

And more basically, he continues to produce and perform great music.

Links:
- TV interview (via Google video): http://tinyurl.com/b4wea
- My Billy Joe Shave pages: www.to-music.ca/bjs.htm (includes links to photos of his Aug. 2005 Harbourfront concert)





4. EVENTS (See: www.to-music.ca/events.htm)
A more-than full February. Below is a brief list of some upcoming events. The events page above has been newly updated (often with links to artist profiles, with some audio clips - including the full 2005 Womad concert  by Lura), and details on these and many more shows.

Feb 3:
a) On radio:
 - Donne Robert will be Matt Galloway's "house guest" on "Here & Now", CBC Radio One, 3-6pm
 - CBC "The World in Performance" (Radio Two, 8-10pm) will broadcast some concert material by K'Naan

b) Live:
  - Fojeba & Njacko Backo at the Tranzac Club
 - "Hip Hop for Africa" (AIDS benefit) with Kikijiko and others

Feb. 9: Texas "alt-country" star, Joe Ely at the Horseshoe

Feb. 10: Legendary Zimbabwean acapella and dance troupe, Black Umfolosi at the Lula

Feb. 11: Donne Roberts' CD Release Party at Harbourfront

Feb. 12: The Jan. 28 "Horn of Africa" concert will be re-broadcast on CBC Radio

Feb. 17:
  - World Music Award nominee Lura at the Lula
 - Ghanian Palm Wine music with 3 members of the African Guitar Summit at the NOW Lounge. (The Lura show is early, so if you're like me, you can catch most of both!)
 - Unconfirmed so far: K'Naan at the El Mocambo

Feb. 18 & 19: African Guitar Summit: first time the whole group has been together in Toronto in two years. All new material, with guest vocalists. Both shows sold out.

Feb. 19: H'Sao at Harbourfront

Global Divas:
- The annual Global Divas Concert, now a Toronto tradition will be held Mar. 30. The lineup has just been announced; see the events page for the details

Good & Bad News Department.
- Bettye LaVette (see my glowing review of her music and show last November at www.to-music.ca/bettye.htm) is returning to Toronto, to open for Buddy Guy at Massey Hall, March 24. However, it seems most of the good seats are already gone. Keep an eye out for ticket giveaway contests!



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