In this issue:

1. Taking a break from the newsletter/website
2. New York Report:
 -  Concert of the year (Afrocubism): photos, videos, review, and a radio re-broadcast (to Dec. 3)
 - Angelique Kidjo (and more) at Carnegie Hall
 - Asylum Street Spankers
 

2. New York Report: Concert of the year
See below for temporary link to a radio rebroadcast of another Afrocubism concert

Earlier this month, I spent several days in New York City, where in the space of two days (and two concerts), I was able to see three of the greatest Malian musicians: Toumani Diabaté, Djelimady Tounkara, Kasse Mady Diabaté (plus balafonist Lassana Diabaté); the last two surviving Buena Vista Social Club stars: Eliades Ochoa & Omara Portuondo; plus -- for good measure -- Youssou n'Dour, Dianne Reeves and Ochoa's Grupo Patria.

The first concert, by Afrocubism, was my most anticipated of the year, and it did turn out to be the best concert of 2010 to date. Despite that, I was disappointed by the lineup on stage...
 

a) Afrocubism: Town Hall, Nov. 9

This Malian-Cuban collaboration's new self-titled CD on World Circuit has received excellent reviews, although there are some who have criticized it for being, along with many other recent World Circuit recordings, somewhat too safe and packaged. I understand and agree to a point with that view, but still love much of the music on Afrocubism.

However, the group's concert at New York's lovely 1921 Town Hall (one of only three shows they did in North America) was a joy. I had front row seats, directly in front of the man I and many consider the greatest guitarist from Africa: Djelimady Tounkara of the Super Rail Band. While his playing kept the musical fire lit, his stage animation kept the audience and musicians attentive and focused. He mugged constantly with many of the members of Grupo Patria, and regularly grinned and laughed with Afropop Worldwide's Banning Eyre seated just behind me. (Banning has written a fascinating book, In Griot Time, about his time living in Mali and studying guitar with Djelimady).

Kasse Mady showed why he is considered one of the truly great vocalists of Mali (a considerable achievement!), and the two onstage hosts of the night (Eliades in Spanish and Toumani in English) were superb musically of course.

But the night had one significant downside: one of the group's members, and one of my favourite musicians, ngoni master Bassekou Kouyaté was not there. For some still-unknown reason, he was unable to get a US visa, and was left behind in Montreal following the group's Nov. 5 performance there. It was a bizarre situation, as he had played numerous shows in the US earlier this year, and at least one congressman plus Senator John Kerry intervened on his behalf.

Despite the all-star lineup on stage, the absence of Bassekou was a huge loss to the concert's sound and atmosphere. I'm a big fan of the ngoni sound. It's an instrument that is rarely heard here (other than its cousin, the kamale ngoni), and this was my second "strikeout" within a few weeks. I went to Montreal in late September to see Malian singer Khaira Arby, and that night, her ngoni player was sick and didn't play.

So, it was a decidedly mixed night. It might have been the best concert of the year, but I know how much better it could (and should) have been.

Early in the concert -- and not long after the opening announcement about the visa problem, Toumani spoke about Cuba and Mail being poor countries, but they had beautiful cultures. He contrasted it to countries that had much material wealth, but "if you have no culture, you have nothing". I wasn't clear if he was talking about wealthy countries in general, or the US in particular. And if so, I wondered if he was referring to its treatment of Bassekou.

Some video taste of Afrocubism:

• From their first ever live performance in Cartegana, Spain.
  
  The above video comes from the group's label, World Circuit. Given my comments above about the label, it's interesting to compare the sound and feel, to the following videos taken (with a much lower-def camera) at the group's Nov. 5 Montreal Metropolis concert

• "Djelimady Rumba" (Featuring not only the guitarist, but some solo work by Bassekou (off-camera) and some ngoni/guitar jamming

• A "video medley

And "in honour" of the missing ngoni player, here he is:

• In New York City this past summer (how did the US let him in then??)
   

NOTE: You can hear several songs of the group's recent concert at The Barbican in London (UK) on Lucy Duran's BBC Radio 3 "World Routes" show. It's available online until this Saturday (Dec. 4).

Read also a review of that concert posted on The Arts Desk website which does an excellent job of describing the feel and music of an Afrocubism concert. I was not surprised in the least to read the reviewer's take on Bassekou's contribution:

But the star of the show, for me anyway, was ngoni player Bassekou Kouyate. Bassekou was actually one of the Malian musicians invited to the original Buena Vista Social Club project back in 1996. It’s hard to imagine what a difference his presence might have made to that album had passport problems not prevented him and other Malian musicians from being able to make the sessions. Last night he strolled around the stage in sea-green robes, a permanent relaxed smile on his face, manifesting astonishing ngoni solos as if it were the easiest thing in the world to do. That hard, brittle sound of the ngoni (less audible on the album) seemed to add some necessary edge to so much of the material.

Sigh... what could have been, and should have been. I can't regret seeing the New York concert(s) or the time I spent in that city, but it made me wish I'd accompanied my friend who travelled to Montreal for that show...

b) Angelique "and friends": Carnegie Hall, Nov. 11

Just two days later, I was inside Carnegie Hall for the first time to see a concert with another amazing lineup. The evening, hosted by Benin's Angelique Kidjo was titled "The Sound of the Drum", and also featured Youssou n'Dour, Omara Portuondo and Dianne Reeves. The hall was as impressive as I'd expected, and reeked of history.

However, I found the concert suffered somewhat in comparison to the Afrocubism show which featured so many musicians creating a sound and a band from the diverse talents of the many individual stars. The Carnegie show was to a large extent a Kidjo concert (and much like the one she gave in Toronto this past July) with guest appearances, not unlike a television variety show. Each guest came on (to huge ovations), and performed three songs each: one or two solo, and the remaining one or two with Angelique.

Both concerts shared one song: "Guantanamera", but there was no comparison between the two. At the Town Hall (and on the CD), the old chestnut took on a life it had never previously had as it was played between Eliades, Toumani and Lassana Diabaté on balafon. (And was supposed to include Bassekou on ngoni). At Carnegie, it was... well, it was "Guantanamera" again, even in the hands of Omara.

The concert didn't have a great focus on the "Sound of the Drum", save for a couple of talks by Angelique. In one she spoke about the importance of the drum to the American slaves, and their lives, which introduced what was to me, the musical highlight of the show: Dianne Reeves coming on stage, singing a capella and without mic, "I'm On My Way (to Canaan Land)".

The show finished -- as hers typically do, even in venerable Carnegie Hall -- with an invitation to the audience to join her on stage. The ensuing crush up front gave me a chance to get a few photos and some video:

 

 

And here's someone else's video capture of part of Angelique and Omara's rehearsal

You can read Banning Eyre (from Afropop)'s enthusiastic review & photos from the concert.

c) Asylum Street Spankers, Highline Ballroom, Nov. 12

This was a complete change of pace. No Buena Vista Social Club survivors at this show. It was part of the "farewell tour" of the Austin-based group whose music is known for its traditional acoustic instruments and sounds, and for its humour, satire and bad taste. (One of their best known songs, although not written by them, is "Lee Harvey Was A Friend of Mine". ("They say he shot the President/But I don't think he did").

Here's Nevada Newman of the group performing his appreciation of the working life ("Fuck Work!")

Get up to an alarm clock?
You've got to be joking.
I don't even think about getting up
Until it's time to start toking

 

Also check their classic video, employing a much different lineup in a great theatrical presentation of their song "Stick Magnetic Ribbons on Your SUV" has earned its over 1 million views.