This newsletter is sent only to those who requested it. Information on
subscribing and unsubscribing is at the end of this email. Please forward to
anyone you think may be interested.
In this issue:
Two musical TV shows
Relive recent concerts
CD of the week
Event updates
1. ALAN LOMAX: THE SONGHUNTER on PBS Aug. 27
In the 1930's and 40's, Alan and his father
John travelled and recorded throughout the American South, capturing much of
the musical soul of that part of the world. Work songs, church songs and
sermons, prison songs (it was John Lomax who discovered Leadbelly, and whose
recordings of Leadbelly helped free him from prison), and blues (Alan was
the first to record Muddy Waters in 1941). Their recordings, originally done
for the Library of Congress’ Archive of American Folk Song are priceless.
Besides the U.S.. he also recorded in Haiti
in the 1930's and then after the war, extensively through the U.S., Europe
and the Caribbean, "Sensing that the world's indigenous music was on the
point of being swept away by mass commercial culture, Lomax brought
considerable energy and urgency to his awesome task."
The American PBS network is showing the
film Alan Lomax: The Songhunter on its "POV" show. Here in Toronto,
it's being shown on WNED, this Sunday, Aug. 27 at 11pm.
Some links that give more information about
the film and Lomax:
Lomax's memoir of his Southern travels in
the 30's and 40's, The Land Where Blues Began won the 1993 National
Book Critics Award for Non-Fiction
"No one has come close to Alan Lomax in
illuminating the intersecting musical roots of an extraordinary range of
cultures, including our own". --- Nat Hentoff
2. MORE TV MUSIC: "Legends of Madiba" - Sat.
Aug 26
"Legends of Madiba", Bravo TV,
Sat. Aug. 26, 8pm. From the Bravo schedule: "Nelson Mandela's favourite
performers demonstrate the role music plays in the face of racism and oppression
as they reflect on their experiences during the disruptive, violent years of
apartheid. Features Tandie Klaasen, Abigail Kubeka, Dorothy Masuku, Sophie
MgCina and Dolly Rathebe."
3. MUSIC ON THE WEB: Relive some great live
nights
"It's (A)Live" on CIUT FM 89.5, hosted by
Andy Frank rebroadcasts every week live concert and club shows covering a
wide range of music. The show is on Tuesdays at 9pm. (http://itsalive.info)
Now, Andy has made many of these concerts
available for listening or downloading on a new site:
http://www.frankcasting.com.
Included are CD releases by Adam Solomon & Tikisa, Donné Roberts (Part 2...
Part 1 coming soon), the wonderful Palm Wine night at the NOW Lounge last
February, with several of the African Guitar Summit musicians, Niyaz
(Persian) and many
others. More shows to be added soon.
4. "CD OF THE WEEK"
Boulevard de l'Independance by Toumani
Diabate's Symmetric Orchestra has been stuck in my car CD player for a week.
(It hasn't stopped playing yet).
Diabate, from Mali, is widely considered
the greatest kora player in the world. And while he has recorded some
eclectic albums in the past (including Kulanjan with Taj Mahal, and
Songhai
with Flamenco artists Ketama), this is unlike any of his recordings I've
heard.
Boulevard is his big-band sound. The album
includes a total of 53 musicians (not all playing at once!) Superb stuff. It
includes the hottest "kora" piece I've heard: "African Challenge", described
by Diabate as "Malian salsa".
This is the third of three albums recorded
at the Hotel Mandé in Bamako, Mali. The first, In the Heart of the Moon,
a collaboration between Diabate and Ali Farka Touré won a Grammy this year.
The excellent Savane, by AFT was released at the same time as
Boulevard. All three were produced by Nick Gold (Buena Vista Social Club,
Orchestra Baobab, etc.)
Afropop Worldwide has a review of the
album, and a sound link for one of the cuts, "Ya Fama" sung by the great
Kasse Mady Diabate.
http://www.afropop.org/explore/album_review/ID/3101/
Here's
an article from The Observer (U.K.) that includes a profile of World
Circuit & Gold
5. EVENTS
The events page has been updated with a
number of fall shows.
http://www.to-music.ca/events.htm
Two shows of note this weekend:
Aug. 25: Ndidi Onukwulu with Madagascar
Slim. Yonge-Dundas Square, 6pm. Free
Aug. 27: The 7th annual Bana Y'Africa
festival, featuring Adam Solomon & Tikisa, Nouvel Exposé, Yinka Farinde,
Tamsir Seck, Fojeba, and Selection Congolaise and many more. 1-11pm. Free.
Also on the events page: artists performing
in this year's Small World Music Festival (Sep. 21 - Oct 1), plus a number
of interesting shows at Massey Hall/Roy Thomson Hall.
John Leeson
www.to-music.ca
John Leeson
www.to-music.ca
...............................................................
This email should only be sent to those who have asked to receive
it.
To unsubscribe, go to
www.to-music.ca/newsletter.htm and
click the "unsubscribe" button, or reply to this email.
If someone forwarded this to you, and you'd like to subscribe, visit
the link above, and click "Subscribe"
